PHENYLALANINE AMMONIA-LYASE, SHIKIMATE DEHYDROGENASE AND SANGUINARINEIN ELICITED TISSUE-CULTURES OF PAPAVER-SOMNIFERUM-L

Static callus cultures of Papaver somniferum L. were elicited by a pre paration from Botrytis cinerea. The protein content did not change sig nificantly by elicitation. In response to elicitation a transient incr ease of specific activity of phenylalanine ammonia lyase was observed in stationary growth phase. To the end of this phase the specific acti vity of shikimate dehydrogenase is higher in an elicited culture compa red to that in an unelicited one. The content of sanguinarine in elici ted cultures was about 20-times higher than in control samples. These results may indicate that the elicitation of poppy tissue cultures lea ds to a coordinated expression of phenylpropanoid and benzoprenanthrid ine biosynthesis.