Plants have been known to accumulate a very diverse range of triterpene saponins. We have investigated the regulation of saponin biosynthesis in higher plants using Centella asiatica (L.) Urban as a model plant. Effects of a feeding precursor on asiaticoside production from leaves and on the level of two-type OSCs mRNA were investigated. As a feeding precursor, squalene negatively affected the levels of CYS and bAS mRNA, but it also decreased the production of asiaticoside from whole plants. Plant hormones regulate secondary metabolism, and in plant tissue cultures they could affect both culture growth and secondary metabolite production. Although enhancement of asiaticoside production from whole plant cultures by addition of TDZ (thidiazuron) has been reported, the positive effect of TDZ on the levels of OSCs transcripts was not observed.

• Ok-Tae Kim
• Min-Young Kim
• Jun-Cheul Ahn
• Mei-Yang Li
• Baik Hwang