Document Type : Original Article
Authors
1
Ph.D. Student, Department of Horticultural Science and Engineering, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Tabriz, Tabriz, Iran.
2
Master’s Graduate, Department of Horticultural Science and Engineering, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Tabriz, Tabriz, Iran.
3
Associate Professor, Department of Natural Sciences and Forestry, Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Resources of Ahar, University of Tabriz, Tabriz, Iran.
10.22092/mpt.2026.372468.1219
Abstract
Hairy root induction by Agrobacterium rhizogenes and regeneration of modified plants from Ri-transformed roots have been reported in a wide range of plant species. Ri-transformed cultures (roots and calli) have been shown to exhibit altered characteristics compared with non-transformed cultures. Four rol genes (rolA, rolB, rolC, and rolD) within the T-DNA region of the Ri plasmid are known to be responsible for this phenomenon. In addition, the effects of A. rhizogenes on the production of secondary metabolites have been well studied in many medicinal plant species. Based on such studies, numerous papers have been published over time examining the “rol effect” on secondary metabolite accumulation in medicinal plants and discussing progress in this research area. However, investigations on the effects of individual rol genes are relatively limited and require further study. Therefore, this review discusses in detail the effects of each of the four rol genes, individually or in combination, on in vitro morphogenesis and secondary metabolite accumulation in medicinal plants. A systematic search was conducted in PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Google Scholar, and ScienceDirect databases using the keywords “Agrobacterium rhizogenes,” “Hairy root culture,” “rol genes (rolA, rolB, rolC, rolD),” “Secondary metabolites,” and “Medicinal plants.” The search timeframe was set from 1986 to 2024. Inclusion criteria comprised original articles related to transformation induced by A. rhizogenes, rol genes, hairy root culture, and their roles in the production of secondary metabolites in medicinal plants.
Keywords
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