Production and elicitation of benzalacetone and the raspberry ketone in cell suspension cultures of Rubus idaeus.

Production levels of p-coumaric acid (p-CA), p-hydroxyphenylbut-3-ene-2-one (benzalacetone), and p-hydroxyphenyl-2-butanone (raspberry ketone) were measured in raspberry cell suspension cultures to investigate metabolite dynamics in a short (two-step) pathway. Intracellular concentrations of benzalacetone and the raspberry ketone fluctuated during the time course of a normal batch culture cycle but showed higher levels during periods of rapid growth. Cells elicited with the signal coupler methyl jasmonate yielded a 2- to 3-fold increase in metabolite concentrations after 24 h. The results suggest that raspberry ketone production is rapidly inducible during periods of high carbohydrate utilization. It is not an end product, however, and undergoes conversion to subsequent metabolites.