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Methylglyoxal destroys Agrobacterium tumefaciens crown gall tumours in Nicotiana tabacum without any adverse effect on the host plant

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Biologia Plantarum

Abstract

Methylglyoxal (MG) is a highly reactive α-oxoaldehyde, demonstrating anticancer effect on plant neoplastic tumours. In in vivo studies it was observed that MG destroyed crown gall tumours in Nicotiana tabacum produced by Agrobacterium tumefaciens, without any adverse effect on the host. The efficacy of MG in comparison to other anticancer drugs viz. cisplatin and ellagic acid in the treatment of crown gall was investigated. A slight degeneration of galls was noted in plants treated with cisplatin and ellagic acid but the plants died subsequently. With MG however, crown galls were completely cured and the plants completed their usual life cycle by flowering and producing seeds. MG inhibited the respiration of crown gall calluses suggesting that energy depletion resulted in tumour destruction.

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Abbreviations

MG:

methylglyoxal

MS:

Murashige and Skoog

NAA:

1-naphthalene acetic acid

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Acknowledgements

The authors acknowledge the financial support of Department of Science and Technology, Government of India.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biological Chemistry, Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science, Kolkata, 700032, India

    A. Ray, M. Mazumder & M. Ray

  2. Department of Botany, Bose Institute, Kolkata, 700009, India

    C. Roy & D. N. Sengupta

  3. 13 Regent Estate, Kolkata, 700092, India

    S. Ray

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  1. A. Ray
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  2. C. Roy
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  3. S. Ray
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  4. M. Mazumder
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  5. D. N. Sengupta
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  6. M. Ray
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Correspondence to M. Ray.

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Ray, A., Roy, C., Ray, S. et al. Methylglyoxal destroys Agrobacterium tumefaciens crown gall tumours in Nicotiana tabacum without any adverse effect on the host plant. Biol Plant 55, 312–316 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10535-011-0044-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10535-011-0044-4

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