The physiological characteristics of the callus cell cultures of Alhagi persarum Boiss et Buhse, a member of the legume family, widely used in folk medicine, have been studied. It was shown that the source of the explant was an important factor in the initiation of callusogenesis: more intense callusogenesis (almost 100%) was observed for explants from various organs of sterile seedlings, rather than intact plants (less than 30%). As a result, more than 20 lines of morphologically different callus cell cultures were obtained, and the growth parameters for the 5 most intensively growing lines were determined. The composition of fatty acids (FA) of total lipids and secondary metabolites in the most physiologically stable callus line Aр-207 was analyzed. Using capillary gas-liquid chromatography with mass spectrometric detection (GLC-MS), 19 individual C12--C24 FAs were identified, the main fraction of which were palmitic (~ 23%), stearic (~ 22%), linoleic (~ 14%) and α-linolenic (~ 33%) acids. The established atypical ratio of FAs (a simultaneous high content of both saturated FAs and polyunsaturated α-linolenic acid) is possibly due to the adaptation of cells to in vitro growth conditions. Phytochemical analysis of the secondary metabolites was carried out using ultra-performance liquid chromatography with electrospray ionization mass spectrometric detection (UPLC MS). Compounds belonging to different structural groups of isoflavones were found. Aglycones (calycosin, formononetin and afrormosin isomer), glucosides (formononetin glucoside), as well as esters of glucosides (malonylglycosides of calicosin, formononetin, afrormosin isomers, glycitein and genistein) were detected. These secondary metabolites are widespread in plants of the Fabaceae family; however, isoflavones are rare in representatives of the Alhagi genus. The presence of malonylated isoflavone glycosides in Alhagi spp. was shown for the first time.
endemic plant species, Alhagi, in vitro cell culture, callus cell culture, isoflavones, fatty acids
All studies were carried out using the equipment of the "Experimental Biotechnological Facility" and the "All-Russian Collection of Cell Cultures of Higher Plants" of IРР RAS. This work was supported by the Russian Foundation for Basic Research (RFBR), contract no.18-54-06021 (Az_a), and the Government of the Russian Federation, Megagrant Project no. 075-15-2019-1882.
