Induction of Isoflavonoid and Retrochalcone Branches of the Flavonoid Pathway in Cultured Glycyrrhiza echinata Cells Treated with Yeast Extract

Abstract

  Yeast extract-treated suspension cultures of a new cell line, AK-1, of Glycyrrhiza echinata were induced to produce an isoflavonoid phytoalexin (medicarpin) and metabolites of retrochalcone/flavone pathway (echinatin, licodione, and 7,4′-dihydroxyflavone). From these cells, putative full-length cDNAs encoding cytochrome P450s,(2S)-flavanone 2-hydroxylase and isoflavone 2′-hydroxylase, were cloned.