Effect of methyl jasmonate on the ginsenoside content of Panax ginseng adventitious root cultures and on the genes involved in triterpene biosynthesis

Methyl jasmonate (MJ)-induced changes of triterpene saponins in Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer adventitious roots, and expression of the genes involved in triterpene biosynthesis, were analyzed. Compared with controls, expression of the squalene epoxidase and dammarenediol synthase genes was clearly upregulated and total saponin content increased in response to MJ. The highest total saponin content was obtained by use of 10 mg L −1 MJ for 24 h, and was 4.76-fold greater than in the control group. Expression of the two genes associated with the cytochrome P450 family was no different from that in controls. The level of ginsenoside in the Rg group thus increased much less than that in the Rb group. This investigation showed that the total saponin content of ginseng adventitious root is related to gene expression in ginsenoside biosynthesis.