Genetic transformation of rare Verbascum eriophorum Godr. plants and metabolic alterations revealed by NMR-based metabolomics.

Objectives: To develop a protocol to transform Verbascum eriophorum and to study the metabolic differences between mother plants and hairy root culture by applying NMR and processing the datasets with chemometric tools.

Results: Verbascum eriophorum is a rare species with restricted distribution, which is poorly studied. Agrobacterium rhizogenes-mediated genetic transformation of V. eriophorum and hairy root culture induction are reported for the first time. To determine metabolic alterations, V. eriophorum mother plants and relevant hairy root culture were subjected to comprehensive metabolomic analyses, using NMR (1D and 2D). Metabolomics data, processed using chemometric tools (and principal component analysis in particular) allowed exploration of V. eriophorum metabolome and have enabled identification of verbascoside (by means of 2D-TOCSY NMR) as the most abundant compound in hairy root culture.

Conclusion: Metabolomics data contribute to the elucidation of metabolic alterations after T-DNA transfer to the host V. eriophorum genome and the development of hairy root culture for sustainable bioproduction of high value verbascoside.