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Gloriosa superba L., commonly known as "gloriosa lily," "glory lily," and "tiger claw," is a perennial climber in the Liliaceae family. This plant is used in African and Southeast Asian cultures as an ayurvedic medicinal herb to treat various health conditions. Its main bioactive component is colchicine, which is responsible for medicinal efficacies as well as poisonous properties of the plant. A high market demand, imprudent harvesting of G. superba from natural habitat, and low seed setting have led scientists to explore micropropagation techniques and in vitro optimization of its phytochemicals. Plant growth regulators have been used to induce callus, root, and shoot organogenesis, and somatic embryogenesis in vitro. This review is aimed at presenting information regarding the occurrence, taxonomic description, phytochemistry, micropropagation, in vitro secondary metabolite, and synthetic seed production. The data collected from the existing literature, along with an analysis of individual study details, outcomes, and variations in the reports, will contribute to the development of biotechnological strategies for conservation and mass propagation of G. superba. Key points: • Latest literature on micropropagation of Gloriosa superba. • Biotechnological production and optimization of colchicine. • Regeneration, somatic embryogenesis, and synthetic seed production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rauvolfia serpentina (L). Benth. ex Kurz. (Apocynaceae), commonly known as Sarpagandha or Indian snakeroot, has long been used in the traditional treatment of snakebites, hypertension, and mental illness. The plant is known to produce an array of indole alkaloids such as reserpine, ajmaline, amalicine, etc. which show immense pharmacological and biomedical significance. However, owing to its poor seed viability, lesser germination rate and overexploitation for several decades for its commercially important bioactive constituents, the plant has become endangered in its natural habitat. The present review comprehensively encompasses the various biotechnological tools employed in this endangered Ayurvedic plant for its in vitro propagation, role of plant growth regulators and additives in direct and indirect regeneration, somatic embryogenesis and synthetic seed production, secondary metabolite production in vitro, and assessment of clonal fidelity using molecular markers and genetic transformation. In addition, elicitation and other methods of optimization of its indole-alkaloids are also described herewith. Key points: • Latest literature on in vitro propagation ofRauvolfia serpentina • Biotechnological production and optimization of indole alkaloids • Clonal fidelity and transgenic studies inR. serpentina [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The need for biosensors has evolved in the detection of molecules, diseases, and pollution from various sources. This requirement has headed to the development of accurate and powerful equipment for analysis using biological sensing component as a biosensor. Biosensors have the advantage of rapid detection that can beat the conventional methods for the detection of the same molecules. Bio-chemiluminescence-based sensors are very sensitive during use in biological immune assay systems. Optical biosensors are emerging with time as they have the advantage that they act with a change in the refractive index. Carbon nanotube-based sensors are another area that has an important role in the biosensor field. Bioluminescence gives much higher quantum yields than classical chemiluminescence. Electro-generated bioluminescence has the advantage of miniature size and can produce a high signal-to-noise ratio and the controlled emission. Recent advances in biological techniques and instrumentation involving fluorescence tag to nanomaterials have increased the sensitivity limit of biosensors. Integrated approaches provided a better perspective for developing specific and sensitive biosensors with high regenerative potentials. This paper mainly focuses on sensors that are important for the detection of multiple molecules related to clinical and environmental applications. Key points: • The review focusses on the applications of luminescence-based, surface plasmon resonance-based, carbon nanotube-based, and graphene-based biosensors • Potential clinical, environmental, agricultural, and food industry applications/uses of biosensors have been critically reviewed • The current limitations in this field are discussed, as well as the prospects for future advancement [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polyamines (PAs) are ubiquitous low-molecular-weight, aliphatic compounds with wide as well as complex application in fundamental areas of plant growth and development. PAs are mediator of basic metabolism of organisms which include cell division and differentiation, biotic and abiotic stress tolerance, reversal of oxidative damage, stabilization of nucleic acids, and protein and phospholipid binding. In plants, it attributes in direct and indirect organogenesis, endogenous phytohormone regulation, cellular compartmentalization, fruit and flower development, senescence, and secondary metabolite production which are highly tuned as first line of defense response. There are several aspects of polyamine-directed mechanism that regulate overall plant growth in vitro and in vivo. In the present review, we have critically discussed the role played by polyamine on the enhanced production of bioactive natural products and how the same polyamines are functioning against different environmental stress conditions, i.e., salinity, drought, high CO2 content, herbivory, and physical wounding. The role of polyamines on elicitation process has been highlighted previously, but it is important to note that its activity as growth regulator under in vitro condition is correlated with an array of intertwined mechanism and physiological tuning. Medicinal plants under different developmental stages of micropropagation are characterized with different functional aspects and regulatory changes during embryogenesis and organogenesis. The effect of precursor molecules as well as additives and biosynthetic inhibitors of polyamines in rhizogenesis, callogenesis, tuberization, embryogenesis, callus formation, and metabolite production has been discussed thoroughly. The beneficial effect of exogenous application of PAs in elicitation of secondary metabolite production, plant growth and morphogenesis and overall stress tolerance are summarized in this present work. Key points: • Polyamines (PAs) play crucial roles in in vitro organogenesis. • PAs elicitate bioactive secondary metabolites (SMs). • Transgenic studies elucidate and optimize PA biosynthetic genes coding SMs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bacopa monnieri (L.) Wettst. or water hyssop commonly known as “Brahmi” is a small, creeping, succulent herb from the Plantaginaceae family. It is popularly employed in Ayurvedic medicine as a nerve tonic to improve memory and cognition. Of late, this plant has been reported extensively for its pharmacologically active phyto-constituents. The main phytochemicals are brahmine, alkaloids, herpestine, and saponins. The saponins include bacoside A, bacoside B, and betulic acid. Investigation into the pharmacological effect of this plant has thrived lately, encouraging its neuroprotective and memory supporting capacity among others. Besides, it possesses many other therapeutic activities like antimicrobial, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, gastroprotective properties, etc. Because of its multipurpose therapeutic potential, it is overexploited owing to the prioritization of natural remedies over conventional ones, which compels us to conserve them. B. monnieri is confronting the danger of extinction from its natural habitat as it is a major cultivated medico-botanical and seed propagation is restricted due to less seed availability and viability. The ever-increasing demand for the plant can be dealt with mass propagation through plant tissue culture strategy. Micropropagation utilizing axillary meristems as well as de novo organogenesis have been widely investigated in this plant which has also been explored for its conservation and production of different types of secondary metabolites. Diverse in vitro methods such as organogenesis, cell suspension, and callus cultures have been accounted for with the aim of production and/or enhancement of bacosides. Direct shoot-organogenesis was initiated in excised leaf and internodal explants without any exogenous plant growth regulator(s) (PGRs), and the induction rate was improved when exogenous cytokinins and other supplements were used. Moreover, biotechnological toolkits like Agrobacterium-mediated transformation and the use of mutagens have been reported. Besides, the molecular marker-based studies demonstrated the clonal fidelity among the natural and in vitro generated plantlets also elucidating the inherent diversity among the natural populations. Agrobacterium-mediated transformation system was mostly employed to optimize bacoside biosynthesis and heterologous expression of other genes. The present review aims at depicting the recent research outcomes of in vitro studies performed on B. monnieri which include root and shoot organogenesis, callus induction, somatic embryogenesis, production of secondary metabolites by in vitro propagation, acclimatization of the in vitro raised plantlets, genetic transformation, and molecular marker-based studies of clonal fidelity.• Critical and up to date records on in vitro propagation of Bacopa monnieri• In vitro propagation and elicitation of secondary metabolites from B. monnieri• Molecular markers and transgenic studies in B. monnieriKey points: Bacopa monnieri (L.) Wettst. or water hyssop commonly known as “Brahmi” is a small, creeping, succulent herb from the Plantaginaceae family. It is popularly employed in Ayurvedic medicine as a nerve tonic to improve memory and cognition. Of late, this plant has been reported extensively for its pharmacologically active phyto-constituents. The main phytochemicals are brahmine, alkaloids, herpestine, and saponins. The saponins include bacoside A, bacoside B, and betulic acid. Investigation into the pharmacological effect of this plant has thrived lately, encouraging its neuroprotective and memory supporting capacity among others. Besides, it possesses many other therapeutic activities like antimicrobial, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, gastroprotective properties, etc. Because of its multipurpose therapeutic potential, it is overexploited owing to the prioritization of natural remedies over conventional ones, which compels us to conserve them. B. monnieri is confronting the danger of extinction from its natural habitat as it is a major cultivated medico-botanical and seed propagation is restricted due to less seed availability and viability. The ever-increasing demand for the plant can be dealt with mass propagation through plant tissue culture strategy. Micropropagation utilizing axillary meristems as well as de novo organogenesis have been widely investigated in this plant which has also been explored for its conservation and production of different types of secondary metabolites. Diverse in vitro methods such as organogenesis, cell suspension, and callus cultures have been accounted for with the aim of production and/or enhancement of bacosides. Direct shoot-organogenesis was initiated in excised leaf and internodal explants without any exogenous plant growth regulator(s) (PGRs), and the induction rate was improved when exogenous cytokinins and other supplements were used. Moreover, biotechnological toolkits like Agrobacterium-mediated transformation and the use of mutagens have been reported. Besides, the molecular marker-based studies demonstrated the clonal fidelity among the natural and in vitro generated plantlets also elucidating the inherent diversity among the natural populations. Agrobacterium-mediated transformation system was mostly employed to optimize bacoside biosynthesis and heterologous expression of other genes. The present review aims at depicting the recent research outcomes of in vitro studies performed on B. monnieri which include root and shoot organogenesis, callus induction, somatic embryogenesis, production of secondary metabolites by in vitro propagation, acclimatization of the in vitro raised plantlets, genetic transformation, and molecular marker-based studies of clonal fidelity.• Critical and up to date records on in vitro propagation of Bacopa monnieri• In vitro propagation and elicitation of secondary metabolites from B. monnieri• Molecular markers and transgenic studies in B. monnieri [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]