Accumulation of Unusual Phenylpropanoids in Transformed and Non-Transformed Root Cultures of Coreopsis tinctoria

Abstract

Using Coreopsis tinctoria liquid cultures of Agrobacterium rhizogenes transformed roots (socalled “hairy roots”) and non-transformed roots have been established. The production of different phenylpropanoid com pounds by these cultures grown in light or darkness, respectively, was compared. Whereas the com position of phenylpropanoids in the root cultures was not influenced by the culture conditions, the total production of phenylpropanoids as well as the formation of single com pounds each analyzed were higher in darkness than in light. The biomass production of the transformed root cultures exceeded that of non-transformed root cultures by a factor of 2.6. A t the same time com pound accumulation paralleled the biomass production, so that the dark grown transformed root cultures were producing maximum yields of several phenylpropanoids, especially l′-isobutyryloxy-eugenol-isobutyrate (7 mg per culture flask during a single culture passage).