Gene expression of glycyrrhizin acid and accumulation of endogenous signaling molecule in Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch adventitious roots after Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Meyerozyma guilliermondii applications.

This study reports the best culture conditions for roots growth and accumulation of active components by optimizing the parameters. Glycyrrhiza uralensis adventitious roots metabolites were significantly increased after adding Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Meyerozyma guilliermondii. The highest contents of polysaccharide, glycyrrhizic acid, glycyrrhetinic acid, and total flavonoids were obtained in M. guilliermondii group; the content of glycyrrhizic acid was 5.3-fold higher than the control. In control and treatment groups, 12 compounds were identified by high-performance liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-ESI-MS/MS), among which some new compounds have been detected in elicitor groups including 5,7-dihydroxyflavanone, glycyrrhisoflavanone, licorice saponin J2, uralsaponin B, (3R)-vestitol, and uralenol. Meyerozyma guilliermondii significantly upregulated the expression of the genes such as 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase, farnesyl diphosphate synthase, geranyl diphosphate synthase, squalene synthase, squalene epoxidase, β-amyrin synthase, and CYP88D6 and CYP72A154. Meanwhile, it increased the biosynthesis of signaling molecules (nitric oxide, salicylic acid, and jasmonic acid) in defense mechanism.