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Production of 5-methoxypodophyllotoxin in cell suspension cultures of Linum flavum L.

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Abstract

Cell suspension cultures of Linum flavum L., routinely grown on a NAA-containing medium, accumulated low levels of the phenylpropanoid-derived lignan 5-methoxypodophyllotoxin (5-MPT), up to 0.004% on a dry weight basis. Feeding experiments with the precursor L-phenylalanine resulted in a 3–5-fold increase in 5-MPT levels, but caused the levels of PAL activity to fall. Treatment of the cultures with the elicitor Nigeran, either alone or in combination with phenylalanine, caused the 5-MPT production to cease, even though PAL activity was rapidly enhanced by these treatments. Transfer of the cultures to NAA-free medium resulted in a 40–50 fold higher level of 5-MPT accumulation, the PAL activity levels being lowered compared to the routinely grown cells. With these more differentiated cultures, phenylalanine feeding and elicitor treatment, both on its own and in combination with the precursor, had no effect on 5-MPT production, even though the PAL activity levels were higher than in the untreated cells. It can be concluded that in lignan-accumulating cultures of L. flavum, PAL activity is nearly always detectable and seems to show a reciprocal relationship with 5-MPT accumulation.

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Abbreviations

5-MPT:

5-methoxypodophyllotoxin

PAL:

phenylalanine ammonia lyase (EC 4:3:1.5)

NAA:

naphthaleneacetic acid

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory for Pharmacognosy, University of Groningen, A. Deusinglaan 2, 9713 AW, Groningen, The Netherlands

    Wim van Uden, Niesko Pras, Esther M. Vossebeld & Theo M. Malingré

  2. Department of Genetics, Vrije Universiteit, De Boelelaan 1087, 1081 HV, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    Jos N. M. Mol

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  1. Wim van Uden
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  2. Niesko Pras
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  5. Theo M. Malingré
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van Uden, W., Pras, N., Vossebeld, E.M. et al. Production of 5-methoxypodophyllotoxin in cell suspension cultures of Linum flavum L.. Plant Cell Tiss Organ Cult 20, 81–87 (1990). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00114704

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