Cytokinins and ethylene stimulate indole alkaloid accumulation in cell suspension cultures of Catharanthus roseus by two distinct mechanisms

The interactions between cytokinins and ethylene on alkaloid accumulation in a periwinkle cell line have been examined. It was found that (a) either exogenously-applied cytokinins or ethylene (the latter through ethephon degradation) greatly enhanced ajmalicine accumulation in cells subcultured in a 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid-free medium; (b) the enhancing effect of cytokinin was not mediated by enhancement of endogenous ethylene production contrary to what is found in some plant models, (c) the responses to exogenous cytokinin and ethylene were additive and showed a different pattern of expression. It may be concluded that cytokinin and ethylene can up-regulate the alkaloid production in a periwinkle cells through independent pathways when added exogenously to the cultures. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.