Expressão gênica relacionada à produção de óleo essencial e avaliação do metabolismo de Mentha arvensis L. sob diferentes condições de cultivo

Abstract

The cultivation of aromatic specimens for obtaining essential oils have great economic importance, mainly by increasing demand in the food, cosmetic and pharmaceutical industry. Brazil is the largest producer of essential oil, however, is what earns less in money value, because, its production is mainly of orange essential oil, with low added value. The essential oil of M. arvensis is rich in menthol (70-80%), a natural products with higher demand in daily life of modern man. Currently, Brazil has become a major importer of menthol which has contributed negatively to the brazilian trade balance. Thus, for the development of this work was chosen to be a specimens of economic interest and social demand, the Mentha arvensis. The purpose of study was to evaluate whether changes in light intensities and different levels of phosphorus promote changes in biomass production and nutrition, with consequences for the biosynthesis of essential oils. We also analyzed the influence of leaf age on the quality of essential oil. To this end, the plant of M. arvensis was grown under the effect of different conditions, which allowed the analysis of the levels of soluble fractions, of photosynthetic pigments, the activities of enzymes related to nitrogen assimilation and the anatomical and histochemical study of trichomes, morphological structure where it is produce the essential oil. The study also included analysis of the expression of genes related to the route of menthol synthesis. The essential oil was obtained by extraction with hydrodestillation in modified Clevenger and the chemical analysis of substances obtained by GC-MS. The Kovats index was used to collaborate in identification of the main substances in essential oil. The results showed that the essential oil quality is determined by physiological conditions and leaf age and that the production is dependent on the synthesis efficiency and density of trichomes on the leaves. In addition, it was found that different concentrations of phosphorus affected some aspects of plant metabolism, which reflected the production of biomass in the soluble fraction, with consequences on production and quality of essential oils. Also showed that variations in light levels affected the expression of six of the eight genes involved in the route of synthesis of menthol, in plants of M. arvensis and that changes in gene expression are probably associated with a transcription factor, which could be acting on the whole pathway. All of this information showed that environmental conditions and / or nutritional affected some aspects of plant metabolism, which reflected the production of biomass, of trichomes and on the expression of genes related to the route of menthol, which reflect on the quality and the production of essential oils