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

Using Coreopsis tinctoria liquid cultures of Agrobacterium rhizogenes transformed roots (socalled “hairy roots”) and non-transformed roots have been established. The production of differ­ ent phenylpropanoid compounds by these cultures grown in light or darkness, respectively, was compared. Whereas the composition 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 compounds 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. At the same time compound 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).