Selection of Tobacco Cell Lines with High Yields of Cinnamoyl Putrescines

Abstract

Cell lines of Nicotiana tabacum resistant to either L-phenylalanine, DL-meta-fluorophenylalanine (MFP) or L-ornithine, have been selected in order to establish by this means cell strains with higher yields of cinnamoyl putrescines.

Except for three MFP-resistant cell lines, all selected strains accumulated 2 to 5 times more cinnamoyl putrescines than the non-resistant wild type cells. In some lines this increase was accompanied by increased activities of enzymes which were likewise involved in the biosynthesis of cinnamoyl putrescines and in the metabolism/degradation of the selecting agents. The qualitative pattern of phenolic compounds did not change in any of the resistant cell lines.

Key Word Index

Nicotiana tabacum - Solanaceae - Cell Suspension Cultures - Cinnamoyl Putrescines - Resistant Cell Lines