INDUCTION OF THE ACCUMULATION OF TRYPTAMINE AND PHENOLS BY ENDOGENOUSELICITORS IN CELL-SUSPENSION CULTURES OF PERIWINKLE

The aim of the work was to investigate whether periwinkle cells grown in vitro accumulate endogenous elicitors with the property of enhancin g secondary metabolite accumulation. We found that treating suspension -cultured cells (line C20) with either Aspergillus niger pectinase, Rh izopus sp. cellulase, or Trichoderma viride macerozyme increased the i ntracellular accumulation of tryptamine (and to a lesser extent that o f serpentine) as well as the release of phenolic compounds in the medi um. Pectinase and cellulase preparations already contained preformed e licitors, but macerozyme preparation released endogenous elicitors mai nly from the pectin component of the cell wall. Enhancement of tryptam ine accumulation in the C20 cells was associated with the increase in the levels of tryptophan decarboxylase transcripts. Ajmalicine content s did not increase, even ifa medium favouring the indole alkaloid accu mulation was used. On the other hand, the ability of macerozyme treatm ent to release endogenous elicitors for tryptamine accumulation was fo und to be cell line-dependent.