Keywords

Sunflower, Hairy roots, Helianthus annuus, Agrobacterium rhizogenes

Abstract

Hairy roots are a syndrome of the plant pathogen Agrobacterium rhizogenes, which induces the aggressive growth of roots in the plants it infects. Hairy roots are shown to have increased production of secondary metabolites when compared to roots that are not transformed, especially when they are exposed to plant signaling hormones called elicitors. Two popular elicitors are Methyl Jasmonate (MeJA) and Salicylic Acid (SA), which are also potent plant signaling compounds involved in plant defense and immunity. Many studies have reported on the secondary metabolites of hairy roots and their production of metabolites after exposure to elicitors. However, there is a gap in current knowledge of how hairy roots and non-transformed roots of Helianthus annuus (the common sunflower) compare in their secondary metabolite profiles, which include the volatile terpenoids they produce. This experiment used solid-phase microextraction gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (SPME GC-MS) to compare the volatile terpenoid profiles of hairy roots and non-transformed roots of H. annuus after their exposure to 0.2 mM MeJA and MeSA, the methyl ester of SA. The experiment identified several differences in the production of volatile compounds across elicitor treatments and time points yet hairy roots largely maintained the properties of their native counterparts. This project provides information on the secondary metabolism and volatile terpenoid profiles of hairy roots and explores the biotechnological applications of such insights.

Completion Date

2024

Semester

Summer

Committee Chair

Mason, Chase

Degree

Master of Science (M.S.)

College

College of Sciences

Department

Biology

Degree Program

Biological Sciences

Format

application/pdf

Identifier

DP0028564

URL

https://purls.library.ucf.edu/go/DP0028564

Language

English

Release Date

8-15-2025

Length of Campus-only Access

1 year

Access Status

Masters Thesis (Campus-only Access)

Campus Location

Orlando (Main) Campus

Accessibility Status

Meets minimum standards for ETDs/HUTs

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Restricted to the UCF community until 8-15-2025; it will then be open access.

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