Cell-suspension cultures of Centaurium erythraea and Centaurium littorale (Gentianaceae) respond to methyl jasmonate and yeast extract with a differential accumulation of xanthones. Methyl jasmonate induced the formation of 1-hydroxy-3,5,6,7-tetramethoxyxanthone, the amount of which increased in both cell cultures around 10 h after addition. A substantial increase in the activity of phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL) was not observed. When challenged with yeast extract the cell cultures accumulated 1,5-dihydroxy-3-methoxyxanthone. This appeared rapidly after addition of yeast extract in C. erythraea but its amount in C. littorale increased only after a lag phase of 25 h. While PAL activity in C. erythraea was strongly suppressed a fourfold increase in its activity was found in C. littorale. Both elicited xanthones accumulated intracellularly. A scheme for xanthone biosynthesis in the two cell cultures is proposed.
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