Timing of Diosgenin Appearance in Suspension Cultures of Dioscorea deltoidea.

Cycloheximide and compactin were added to cell suspension cultures of DIOSCOREA DELTOIDEA. Cycloheximide inhibited growth and diosgenin biosynthesis completely at 40 mg/l when added during the growth phase. Compactin partially inhibited growth and diosgenin production at 100 microg/l when added during the growth phase. [1- (14)C]-Acetate incorporation into diosgenin was about 20-fold higher when added during the early stages of growth as compared to addition in the stationary phase. Incorporation of [1- (14)C]-acetate into diosgenin was inhibited by compactin only during the early stages of growth. These results indicate the formation of an accumulating intermediary metabolite during the early stages of growth which is transformed into diosgenin when D. DELTOIDEA cells are in the stationary phase.