A transcription factor activates the production of pinosylvin stilbenoids in transgenic calli and tobacco leaves.

Transcription factors (TFs) play an important role in regulating the biosynthesis of secondary metabolites. In , the level of methylated derivatives of pinosylvin is significantly increased upon pine wood nematode (PWN) infection, and these compounds are highly toxic to PWNs. In a previous study, we found that the expression of a basic helix-loop-helix TF gene, , strongly increased in plants after infection with PWNs.

Production of Nematicidal Pinosylvin Stilbenes in Cell Suspension Cultures of by Fungal Elicitation.

Pinosylvin stilbenes are natural phenolic compounds found in the Pinaceae family and act as phytoalexins. Some pinosylvin stilbenes have strong nematicidal activity against pine wood nematodes (PWNs: ). Here, we established the efficient production of two pinosylvin stilbenes, dihydropinosylvin monomethylether (DPME) and pinosylvin monomethylether (PME), by cell suspension culture of after fungal elicitation.