EFFECTIVENESS OF PLANT-DERIVED AND MICROBIAL POLYSACCHARIDES AS ELICITORS FOR ANTHRAQUINONE SYNTHESIS IN MORINDA CITRIFOLIA CULTURES

Various plant-derived and microbial polysaccharides were applied to cultured cells of Morinda citrifolia. Application of polysaccharides elicited secondary metabolism of these cultures and induced anthraquinone production. Polysaccharides involved in interactions between plants and microorganisms (chitosan/chitin and pectin) were most effective in inducing anthraquinone synthesis. Seven and 14 days of incubation with Chitin 50, a water-soluble chitin derivative with a degree of acetylation of 53%, resulted in an anthraquinone synthesis approximately 2.5 times higher than the control. For pectins the active components were found to be galacturonic acids with a degree of polymerization higher than five units. Pectins isolated from M. citrifolia cell walls have been shown to elicit anthraquinone synthesis over longer periods than other pectins tested and induced a 5.6-fold increase of anthraquinone production without inhibitory effects on the growth of the cell culture.