Effects of Forchlorfenuron on the Morphology, Metabolite Accumulation, and Transcriptional Responses of Siraitia grosvenorii Fruit

Siraitia grosvenorii fruit, called luo-han-guo (LHG), have been used as a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and dietary supplements for many years. Mogrosides, the main bioactive ingredients in LHG, are commercially available worldwide as a non-sugar-based and noncaloric sweetener. However, the production cannot meet the increasing market demand because of the low content of mogrosides and the small size of LHG. Therefore, some advanced technologies have been applied for improving the quality of LHG. Forchlorfenuron (CPPU), a plant growth regulator, is widely applied to promote plant yield and the secondary metabolite synthesis. Here, the content of nine mogrosides and three intermediates in LHG that were treated with three different concentrations of CPPU were determined by LC-MS/MS and GC-MS, respectively. The total content of mogrosides in LHG treated with CPPU was not enhanced, and the proportion of some main bioactive ingredients, including mogroside V (MV), were decreased relative to that of the control treatment. Morphological and cytological observations showed CPPU could make an early lignification in fruit epidermal cells, and 5 or 25 mg L(−1) CPPU could inhibit LHG growth. The expression levels of 24 key genes in the mogroside biosynthesis pathway were measured and revealed that genes downregulated in upstream, and different expressions of SgUGTs would affect the accumulations and proportions of mogrosides in LHG induced by CPPU. This was the first study that applied CPPU individually on LHG, and assessed effects of CPPU on the morphology, the accumulation of metabolites, and expression profiles of 24 structural genes. The CPPU effects on LHG were undesirable, including development inhibition and the decrease of main mogroside content. These will provide guidance for the rational application of CPPU.