[Downloaded free from http://www.greenpharmacy.info on Tuesday, September 16, 2014, IP: 223.30.225.254] || Click here to download free Android application for this journal Molecular and physiological role of Epipremnum aureum TICLE R Anju Meshram, Nidhi Srivastava Department of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Banasthali University, Banasthali, Rajasthan, India A Epipremnum aureum (Golden pothos) is a naturally variegated climbing vine that produces abundant yellow-marbled foliage. It is among the most popular tropical ornamental plant used as hanging basket crop. An insight has been provided about the different varieties of Golden pothos including Neon, Marble Queen, Jade Pothos and N Joy. This paper presents a critical review on botanical study and important characteristics of Golden pothos and special emphasis has been provided on variegated leaves and chloroplast EVIEW biogenesis explaining the important genes involved during the process and various proteins associated with it. Studies have been included comprising the special features of Epipremnum aureum in phytoremediation for the removal of Cobalt and Cesium and in R the purification of air against formaldehyde. The antimicrobial activity of roots and leaf extracts of Epipremnum aureum against many bacterial strains have been included. It also presents the antitermite activity of Golden pothos that can be harnessed for pest control. Key words: Antimicrobial, antitermite, calcium oxalate, Epipremnum aureum, formaldehyde INTRODUCTION Other Species of Epipremnum • Epipremnum amplissimum (Schott) Engl Epipremnum comprises 15 speciesof slender to gigantic • Epipremnum amplissimum (Schott) Engl root‑climbing Iianes.[1] All these herbaceous evergreens • Epipremnum carolinense Volkens are native to South East Asia and Solomon islands.[2] • Epipremnum ceramense (Engl. and K.Krause) Alderw Variegated clones of E. aureum (Linden and Andre) • Epipremnum dahlii Engl G.S. Bunting are extremely popular as cultivated plants • Epipremnum falcifolium Engl. worldwide, perhaps constituting the most commonly • Epipremnum giganteum (Roxb.) Schott cultivated aroid, and the golden variegated form of • Epipremnum meeboldii K.Krause this species is frequently met with as an escape from • Epipremnum moluccanum Schott horticulture throughout the tropics.[3] Plants used for • Epipremnum moszkowskii K.Krause interiorscape purposes such as pedestal plants, totems, • Epipremnum nobile (Schott) Engl hanging baskets, dish gardens and small desk plants • Epipremnum obtusum Engl. and K.Krause usually have heart‑shaped leaves that rarely exceed • Epipremnum papuanum Alderw 6 inches in length. • Epipremnum pinnatum (L.) Engl • Epipremnum silvaticum Alderw. DESCRIPTION Varieties of Epipremnum Aureum Epipremnum aureum is synonymous with Golden pothos, Epipremnum aureum (L.) Engl. comprises several Pothos aureuss, Scindapsus aureus, Raphidophora aurea, varieties as shown in Table 2. devil’s ivy, hunter’s robe, ivy arum, money plant, silver vine, Solomon Islands ivy and taro vine. Golden pothos Botanical Study is also known as devil’s ivy as it stays green even when Botanical description of Golden pothos is shown in kept in the dark. Its’ classification is shown in Table 1. Table 3. Access this article online SPECIAL FEATURES OF EPIPREMNUM AUREUM Quick Response Code: Website: Chloroplast Biogenesis www.greenpharmacy.info Variegated plants are an ideal model for the study of chloroplast biogenesis as shown in Figure 1, because DOI: they have both green and white/yellow sectors on the 10.4103/0973‑8258.129566 same leaf, which can be used to compare differential gene expression directly and also for protein profiling Address for correspondence: Dr. Nidhi Srivastava, Department of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Banasthali University, Banasthali ‑ 304 022, Rajasthan, India. E‑mail: [email protected] Received: 23‑01‑2014; Accepted: 06‑03‑2014 73 International Journal of Green Pharmacy | April‑June 2014 | [Downloaded free from http://www.greenpharmacy.info on Tuesday, September 16, 2014, IP: 223.30.225.254] || Click here to download free Android application for this journal Meshram and Srivastava: Role of Epipremnum aureum in order to understand the co‑ordinate expression of nuclear Table 1: Classification ofEpipremnum aureum and organelle genes during chloroplast biogenesis.[4,5] The Kingdom Plantae Division Angiosperms viable cells that contain undifferentiated chloroplasts in Unranked Monocots the white/yellow sectors do not appear to interfere with Order Alismatales proper chloroplast development in the green sectors. During Family Araceae examination of individual cells, only one type of plastid Subfamily Monsteroideae was observed in each cell, either normal chloroplasts or Tribe Monstereae abnormal plastids. The leaf variegation phenotype may Genus Epipremnum originate from different mechanisms that interact with Species E. aureum chloroplast development. Binomial name Epipremnum aureum (L.) Engl. Using complementary DNA suppression subtractive hybridisation (SSH) between regenerated pale yellow and Table 2: Epipremnum aureum species with its varieties green plants, nine downregulated and 18 upregulated Variety Feature Epipremnum aureum (L.) Engl. Heart‑shaped leaves with genes in pale yellow plants have been isolated. Transcript yellow or white variegation abundance for EaZIP (Epipremnum aureum leucine Epipremnum aureum ‘Neon’ Solid yellow‑green leaves zipper), a nuclear gene homologue of tobacco NTZIP and with no variegation Arabidopsis CHL27, was reduced more than 4000‑fold in Epipremnum aureum ‘Marble Queen’ Fine variegation in white qRT‑PCR analysis. EaZIP encodes the Mg‑protoporphyrin colour IX monomethyl ester cyclase, one of the key enzymes in Epipremnum aureum ‘Jade Pothos’ Unvariegated, dark green colour leaf the chlorophyll biosynthesis pathway. Examination of Epipremnum aureum ‘N Joy’ Variegation and bumpy leaf EaZIP expression in naturally variegated ‘Golden Pothos’ texture confirmed that EaZIP transcript levels were correlated with leaf chlorophyll contents, suggesting that this gene plays a major role in the loss of chlorophyll in the pale Table 3: Various parts of Epipremnum aureum yellow sectors of E. aureum ‘Golden Pothos’. Thus, EaZIP Plants: Young plants feature bright, waxy, heart‑shaped green leaves (to 4” long) that are variegated with yellow or white. On was identified as a factor that may contribute to the yellow large mature vines, however, the leaves become much larger (to 30” sector formation.[6] long) with deep lobes. E. aureum is an evergreen vine growing to 20‑m (66 ft) tall, with stems up to 4 cm (2 in) in diameter Root Pressure Leaves: Leaves are colourful and evergreen. They are alternate, heart‑shaped, entire on juvenile plants, but irregularly pinnatifid on The roots of Epipremnum aureum, does not synthesise mature plants, up to 100‑cm (39 in) long and 45‑cm (18 in) broad nicotine themselves but can take up exogenously fed [juvenile leaves much smaller, typically under 20‑cm (8 in) long] nicotine as a xenobiotic as shown in Figure 2. The alkaloid Flower: Pothos plants do not flower under greenhouse and flowering is subsequently translocated to the leaves, via the xylem is seldom reported even within native habitats. The flowers are produced in a spathe up to 23‑cm (9 in) long path, where it accumulates in the mesophyll up to levels Stem: This plant is easily propagated from stem cuttings. This plant comparable with nicotine‑rich Nicotiana species. produces trailing stems when it climbs up trees and these take root when they reach the ground and grow along it The Epipremnum plants accept nicotine only up to a distinct Roots: In its native habitat, it climbs tree trunks by aerial rootlets and level after which it reaches saturation about 10 days. tumbles along the ground as a ground cover, reaching up to 40’ or more in length Figure 1: Chloroplast biogenesis in variegated leaf of Epipremnum aureum Figure 2: Mechanism of uptake, transport and storage of nicotine | April‑June 2014 | International Journal of Green Pharmacy 74 [Downloaded free from http://www.greenpharmacy.info on Tuesday, September 16, 2014, IP: 223.30.225.254] || Click here to download free Android application for this journal Meshram and Srivastava: Role of Epipremnum aureum All mature, non‑senescent leaves accumulate the same response. This research supports the various previous amount of nicotine. By different experimental approaches, studies that plants, nature and material of natural origin unequivocal evidence could be provided that root pressure bring feelings of relaxation to people. The results of this is the ‘translocative force’ for nicotine transport in E. aureum. experiment might have been different if leaves with various Under the influence of inhibitors of root respiration, nicotine different surface types had been used and it is necessary to uptake was halted slowly in case of oxygen deprivation and examine this further. This report offers a new framework in case of cyanide, or it stopped very rapidly when CCCP, for understanding the relationship between human beings an uncoupler of mitochondrial ATP formation, was applied and plants or nature.[12] to the roots. Leaves, bearing a heavy ‘nicotine load’, showed symptoms of senescence only after 3‑6 weeks, as indicated In Cleaning Air Pollution by a decline in the chlorophyll content, the chlorophyll a/b Formaldehyde is a major indoor air pollutant. Its removal ratio, and the maximal quantum yield efficiency (Fv/Fm), from air can reduce