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Nanoparticle Formulation Generated from DDGS and Its Anthraquinone Synthesis Elicitation in Rubia tinctorum Hairy
Gonzalo Galaburri1,2, Yazmín R Kalapuj1,3, María Perassolo1,3
1Universidad de Buenos Aires, Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires 1113, Argentina.
Polymers
|August 14, 2025
Summary
Distiller dried grains with solubles (DDGS) nanoparticles effectively enhanced anthraquinone (AQ) production in Rubia tinctorum hairy roots without impacting plant growth. Combining DDGS nanoparticles with methyl jasmonate further boosted AQ accumulation.
Area of Science:
- Biotechnology
- Plant Science
- Materials Science
Background:
- Distiller dried grains with solubles (DDGS) are a byproduct of grain processing.
- Anthraquinones (AQs) are valuable compounds with various applications.
- Enhancing AQ production in plant systems is of significant interest.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a nanoparticle formulation from DDGS (DDGS-NP).
- To evaluate the effect of DDGS-NPs on AQ production in Rubia tinctorum hairy roots.
- To investigate the synergistic effect of DDGS-NPs and methyl jasmonate (MeJ) on AQ biosynthesis.
Main Methods:
- DDGS was processed through washing, alkaline treatment, lyophilization, and redispersion to create DDGS-NPs.
- Physicochemical properties of DDGS-NPs were characterized using techniques like dynamic light scattering and zeta potential measurements.
- Solid-state NMR, XPS, OEA, and ICP-OES were used to analyze nanoparticle composition.
- Rubia tinctorum hairy roots were treated with varying concentrations of DDGS-NPs and MeJ.
- AQ production was quantified using spectrophotometric methods.
Main Results:
- DDGS-NPs exhibited a hydrodynamic diameter of 227 ± 42 nm and a zeta potential of -53 ± 7 mV, with good colloidal stability.
- Nanoparticles were rich in proteins, unsaturated fatty acids, and orthophosphate anions.
- All tested concentrations of DDGS-NPs significantly increased AQ production in R. tinctorum hairy roots, with 500 mg L⁻¹ yielding 9.3 µmol/gFW.
- Extracellular AQ accumulation reached 18 µM at the highest DDGS-NP concentration, compared to ~2 µM in controls.
- The combination of DDGS-NPs and MeJ resulted in the highest extracellular AQ accumulation.
Conclusions:
- DDGS-NP formulation is a stable and effective elicitor for enhancing AQ production in Rubia tinctorum.
- DDGS-NPs offer a promising strategy for sustainable production of valuable plant-derived compounds.
- The synergistic effect with MeJ highlights potential for optimizing biosynthetic pathways.
