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Restoration of secondary metabolism in birch seedlings relieved from PAL-inhibitor

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Abstract

Phenylalanine ammonia lyase (PAL) plays a key role in phenylpropanoid metabolism, catalyzing the deamination of phenylalanine (Phe) to form trans-cinnamic acid. Inhibitors of PAL have been used to study the physiological role of the different compounds derived from trans-cinnamic acid, and to test theories about a trade-off between growth and defence in plants. In a previous study with birch (Betula pubescens Ehrh.) seedlings, the PAL inhibitor 2-aminoindane-2-phosphonic acid monohydrate (AIP) caused an accumulation of Phe and a strong decrease in the quantity of simple phenolics, soluble condensed tannins and growth, whereas flavonol glycosides were generally not affected. The present study demonstrates restoration of secondary metabolism in the previously AIP treated birch seedlings. Our results indicate that Phe accumulated during PAL inhibition could be partly used to increase the content of the phenolic acids, flavan-3-ols and to some extent the soluble condensed tannins. Seedling growth also increased when the supply of PAL inhibitor ceased. We thereby show that the inhibition of PAL by AIP in vivo is reversible, at least for moderate AIP concentrations and the rate of restoration is dependent on the inhibitor concentration.

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Acknowledgments

We thank Outi Nousiainen for help in the laboratory. We also thank Matti Rousi at METLA for the seeds, and two anonymous reviewers for valuable comments to the manuscript. Finnish Cultural Foundation, The Academy of Finland (Finnish Centre of Excellence Program 2000–2005, project no. 64308) and The Norwegian Research council (Project 159778/V40) provided financial support for the research.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Ecology and Natural Resource Management, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Box 5003, 1432, Ås, Norway

    Line Nybakken

  2. Faculty of Biosciences, Natural Product Research Laboratory, University of Joensuu, PO Box 111, 80101, Joensuu, Finland

    Line Nybakken, Sarita Keski-Saari, Maarit A. Falck & Riitta Julkunen-Tiitto

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  1. Line Nybakken
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  2. Sarita Keski-Saari
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  3. Maarit A. Falck
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  4. Riitta Julkunen-Tiitto
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Correspondence to Line Nybakken.

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Communicated by D. Treutter.

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Nybakken, L., Keski-Saari, S., Falck, M.A. et al. Restoration of secondary metabolism in birch seedlings relieved from PAL-inhibitor. Trees 21, 273–281 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00468-006-0120-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00468-006-0120-0

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