Download Appearance of cell-wall associated red pigment/s in stressed

Appearance of cell-wall associated red pigment(s) in stressed callus cells of Mammillaria
multiceps (Cactaceae)
Kateryna Lystvan
Institute of Cell Biology and Genetic Engineering of the National Academy of Science of Ukraine,
Kiev, Ukraine
[email protected]
Cell walls of higher plants contain, besides the major components (cellulose, hemicellulose,
pectin), a large amount of other substances, whose profile varies depending on the conditions.
Meanwhile, findings of colored compounds in the cell walls of vascular plants are uncommon,
whereas bryophytes are known to accumulate pigments in this site.
We have been observed the appearance of bright reddish pigment(s) in callus cells of
Mammillaria multiceps (Cactaceae). The pigment(s) appeared in response to stress, both biotic (a
fungal invasion) and abiotic one (a transfer to liquid media/fresh solid media– a mechanical and/or
an osmotic stress). A light microscopic examination showed the pigment(s) to be located in the cell
wall. A variety of solvents of different polarity (water, alcohol, acetone, chloroform, toluene,
hexane etc.) failed to extract the substance(s). However, it can be easily washed off from the cell
walls by water-saturated phenol, dimethyl sulphoxide and dimethylformamide.
The chemical nature of the pigment(s) remains unknown. Some recently discovered in cell walls
of vascular plants pigments related to anthocyanidins or anthocyanidin-like compounds [1-3].
However, as generally believed, species of order Caryophyllales (including cacti) can not produce
this class of pigments. We hypothesize that the pigment(s) may belong to the poorly studied class of
natural polymeric substances – phlobaphenes. Phlobaphenes are considered as red water-insoluble
polymeric flavonoids and they, as believed, can accumulate in the cell wall. Moreover, the similar
accumulation of pigments in a cell wall in response to fungal disease was observed earlier for
sorghum mesocotyl [4]; this species is known to produce phlobaphenes therewith.
Acknowledgements
We are grateful to Germplasm bank of world flora of Institute of Cell Biology and Genetic
Engineering NASU for providing the initial Mammillaria multiceps long-term cultivated callus
culture.
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