Shikonin production by p-fluorophenylalanine resistant cells of Lithospermum erythrorhizon

Studies were conducted with a BK-39 callus culture of Lithospermum erythrorhizon, which produced seven shikonin derivatives (acetylshikonin, propionylshikonin, isobutyrylshikonin, beta,beta -dimethylacrylshikonin, isovalerylshikonin, beta -hydroxyisovalerylshikonin and alpha -methyl-n-butyrylshikonin). A selection of cell aggregates of BK-39 culture on a medium containing p-fluorophenylalanine (PFP) yields a cell line possessing a higher resistance to the inhibitor than the initial culture. Selected BK-39F cultures produced almost the same profile of shikonin naphthoquinones as the initial culture. The shikonin derivative content of PFP-resistant culture was approximately two times higher than that of the control, reaching 12.6% of DW cell biomass. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.