Effect of Environmental Factors on Flavonol Glycoside Production and Phenylalanine Ammonia-lyase Activity in Cell Suspension Cultures of Ginkgo biloba

A study was carried out to elucidate the relation between the production of flavonol glycosides and the change of phenylalanine ammonia-lyase activity in cell suspension cultures of Ginkgo biloba by the unassisted and synergistic effects of various factors. The quercetin production showed a mixed-growth-associated pattern in cell suspension cultures. Fluorescent light and UV radiation increased phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL) activity, and resulted in the increase of the production of quercetin and kaempferol ten- and four-fold, respectively, as compared to that obtained in the normal culture condition. The cell growth of Ginkgo biloba was enhanced .at higher temperatures whereas the quercetin production was at its maximum at low temperatures. Moreover, the quercetin production was increased by temperature change during the culture period. In particular, the quercetin production was at the highest level when the culture temperature was elevated from $10^{\circ}C\;to\;30^{\circ}C$. The addition of phenylalanine as a precursor in the culture medium stimulated an 8-fold increase in the production of quercetin; the addition of naringenin caused a l0-fold increase. The quercetin production was also greatly increased by feeding enzyme cofactors such as 2-ketoglutarate and ascorbic acid in the culture medium, but specific PAL activity was not increased except with phenylalanine feeding. The synergistic effect of UV radiation and naringenin feeding was observed, resulting in the increase of flavonol glycoside production at a rate higher than in any other case investigated.