Induced Accumulation of Polyphenolics and Flavonoids in Cyanobacteria under Salt Stress Protects Organisms through Enhanced Antioxidant Activity

Abstract

Induced accumulation of polyphenolics and flavonoids in cyanobacterial strains grown under different salt concentrations is correlated with their growth under stress conditions and enhanced antioxidant activity. Plectonema boryanum, Hapalosiphon intricatus, Anabaena doliolum and Oscillatoria acuta grown for 21 days under different salt concentrations (80, 160, 240, 320 and 400 mM) in BG11 medium showed differential growth responses in terms of biomass, total protein, chlorophyll content, total content of polyphenol, flavonoid and carotenoid, accumulation of phenolic acids (gallic, caffeic, chlorogenic, ferullic and vanillic) and flavonoids (rutin and quercetin). Cyanobacterial extracts showed prominent free radical scavenging antioxidant activity (AOA) in terms of % DPPH discoloration. Highly significant (p < 0.05) and strong correlation was found between TPC and AOA (r = 0.974). Other positive but non-significant (p < 0.05) correlations were observed between AOA and gallic acid (r = 0.893) and AOA and caffeic acid (r = 0.931). Significant and strong correlation was also observed between gallic and caffeic acid (r = 0.973). Positive but lesser magnitude correlations were recorded between TPC and caffeic acid (r = 0.905), TPC and gallic acid (r = 0.920), gallic and vanillic acid (r = 0.916) and caffeic and vanillic acid (r = 0.814). An integrated combination of growth parameters, salt-induced accumulation of phenylpropanoids and stress-derived subsequent antioxidant property of cyanobacterial extracts is thought to provide evidence that secondary metabolic changes can act as the possible alternative mechanism to overcome stress-induced damages in cells.