Journal of Biotechnology & Biomaterials
Open Access

Abstract

Arnebia hispidissima is an important medicinal plant belonging to family Boraginaceae a genus of hispid herbs, mostly confined to Asia, while, some other species are resident to arid zones of North Africa. Shikonin is a naphthoquinone red pigment that illustrates antibacterial, antifungal, anti-allergic, antiinflammatory, antihydropic, antineoplastic and wound healing properties. It has wide applications as a colorant in food industries and as a dye for silk and cosmetic industries. Even though, Arnebia hispidissima is known to accumulate Shikonin but it fails to provide sufficient raw material for its commercial production. This entails the essentiality for developing rapid and efficient tissue culture and micropropagation methods as well as genetic improvement of Arnebia hispidissima for meeting the ever-increasing demand of high-valued Shikonin. A rapid and efficient method for high frequency direct plant regeneration without intervening callus formation from shoot tip at 93+0.00% and nodal segment at 60.0+0.13% has been developed which allows the availability of plants all around the year. Co-cultivation of shoot tip, nodal, leaf and internodal segments with Agrobacterium rhizogenes resulted in Hairy Roots with induction of Shikonin production. Presence of Ri plasmid rolB gene in the transformed Hairy Root Cultures was confirmed by PCR analysis and conditions were optimized for enhanced Shikonin production. Results presented here in will help to design strategies for bridging the gap between ever-increasing demand and supply of raw products necessary for obtaining Shikonin for cosmetic, dyeing, food, medicinal, and pharmaceutical industry.

Biography