Nicotiana benthamiana
Nicotiana benthamiana, commonly known as a model organism in plant biotechnology, is a versatile species within the Solanaceae family. Beyond its botanical significance, it serves as a powerful tool for molecular farming, enabling the rapid production of vaccines, antibodies, and complex proteins through highly efficient transient expression systems.
- Scientific name: Nicotiana benthamiana
- Family: Solanaceae
- Native range: Australasia
Taxonomical Classification
This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and is classified under the phylum Streptophyta and the class Equisetopsida. Within the subclass Magnoliidae, it is further categorized under the order Solanales and the family Solanaceae. Finally, it is identified by its specific genus, Nicotiana.
| Rank | Classification | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Kingdom | Plantae | WCVP |
| Phylum | Streptophyta | WCVP |
| Class | Equisetopsida | WCVP |
| Subclass | Magnoliidae | WCVP |
| Order | Solanales | WCVP |
| Family | Solanaceae | WCVP |
| Genus | Nicotiana | WCVP |
Common Names
This plant, known scientifically as Nicotiana benthamiana, is referred to by various common names across different languages and regions. In Macedonian, it is called Бентамoв тутун, while in Persian, it is known as نیکوتیان. In Hebrew, the name is ניקוטיאנה, and in Arabic, it is identified as تبغ بنثاميانا. Additionally, in Chinese, the plant is commonly called 圓葉菸草.| Language | Common Name | Source |
|---|---|---|
| mk | Бентамов тутун | Wikidata |
| fa | نیکوتیان | Wikidata |
| he | ניקוטיאנה | Wikidata |
| ar | تبغ بنثاميانا | Wikidata |
| zh | 圓葉菸草 | Wikidata |
| arz | تبغ بنثاميانا | Wikidata |
| ja | ベンサミアナタバコ | Wikidata |
| zh-hans | 本氏烟草 | Wikidata |
| zh-cn | 本氏烟草 | Wikidata |
| th | ยาสูบใบเล็ก | Wikidata |
Distribution
This plant is characterized by a very specific and limited range of occurrence. Its documented geographical distribution is confined solely to the continent of Australia. Within this vast landmass, it can be found specifically in the state of Western Australia. This localized presence suggests that the species may have unique environmental requirements found in that region. Consequently, its habitat appears to be highly restricted to this particular part of the world.
| Region | Area | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Australia | Western Australia | WCVP |
Plant Parts
This plant, Nicotiana benthamiana, is widely utilized in scientific research due to its robust capacity for molecular farming and transient expression. The primary focus of many studies is the leaves, which serve as the main site for synthesizing recombinant proteins and secondary metabolites. At a microscopic level, the leaf cells act as efficient biological factories, where specialized organelles and cellular machinery are manipulated to produce complex biochemical compounds, making the entire foliar structure a vital tool in plant biotechnology.- Total parts
- 2
- Scientific sources
- 4
| Plant Part | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| leaves | 3 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| leaf cells | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Chemicals
Nicotiana benthamiana has 62 reported phytochemicals identified across 64 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include flavonoids, geraniol, (-)-deoxypodophyllotoxin, (-)-epipodophyllotoxin, 1,2-Benzisothiazol-3(2H)-one.
- Total chemicals
- 62
- Scientific sources
- 64
Most Reported Compounds
| Compound | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| flavonoids | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| geraniol | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| (-)-deoxypodophyllotoxin | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| (-)-epipodophyllotoxin | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| 1,2-Benzisothiazol-3(2H)-one | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| 2,3-oxidosqualene | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| 4-hydroxyphenyllactate | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Allantoin | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| CGA | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Callose | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Medicinal Uses
Nicotiana benthamiana has 12 reported medicinal uses identified across 14 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include cell death, salt stress, Turnip crinkle virus, abiotic stresses, drought.
- Total uses
- 12
- Scientific sources
- 14
Most Reported Uses
| Use | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| cell death | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| salt stress | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Turnip crinkle virus | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| abiotic stresses | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| drought | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| oxidative damage | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| plum pox virus | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| programmed cell death | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| salinity stress | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| salt tolerance | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |