Glycoalkaloid Profile in Potato Haploids Derived from Solanum tuberosum–S. bulbocastanum Somatic Hybrids

Abstract

Cultivated and wild potato species synthesize a wide variety of steroidal glycoalkaloids (GA) that may affect either human health or biotic stress resistance. Therefore, GA composition must be a major criterion in the evaluation of breeding products when species genomes are merged and/or manipulated. This work reports the results of GA analysis performed on unique haploid (2n=2x=24) plants obtained from tetraploid (2n=4x=48) Solanum bulbocastanum-S. tuberosum hybrids through in vitro anther culture. Glycoalkaloids were extracted from tubers and analyzed by HPLC. Haploids generally showed the occurrence of parental GA. However, in several cases loss of parental GA and gain of new GA lacking in the parents was observed. It may be hypothesized that new GA profiles of our haploids is the result of either genetic recombination or combinatorial biochemistry events. To highlight differences between haploids and parents, soluble proteins and antioxidant activities were also determined. Both were always higher in haploids compared to their parents. The nature of the newly formed GAs will be further investigated, because they may represent new metabolites that can be used against pest and diseases, or are useful for human health.

Phytochemical Analysis, Antioxidant Properties and Brine Shrimp Lethality of Unripe Fruits of Solanum viarum

“…They can protect against damage caused by insects and fungi, and may have anti-inflammatory 9 and anticancer activity in humans. 10 Biological investigations of glycoalkaloids of Solanum showed significant cytotoxicity against human cancer cell lines and skin tumours. 11 Cipollini and Levey 12 comment about the propensity for immature Solanum fruits to accumulate high levels of alkaloids (1-7% dry mass) and that these levels may or may not drop during fruit maturation.…”