Differential patterns of phytoalexin accumulation and enzyme induction in wounded and elicitor-treated tissues ofPhaseolus vulgaris.

In wounded cotyledons ofPhaseolus vulgaris L. the accumulation of the 5-hydroxy isoflavonoids kievitone and 2'-hydroxygenistein precedes the major increases in the levels of the 5-deoxy compounds phaseollin and coumestrol. Increased phytoalexin levels are preceded by transient increases in the extractable activities of L-phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (EC 4.3.1.5.), chalcone synthase and chalcone isomerase (EC 5.5.1.6.). Accumulation of phytoalexins, above wounded control levels, is observed following treatment of excised cotyledons or hypocotyls with crude or fractionated elicitor preparations heat-released from the cell walls ofColletotrichum lindemuthianum. Chalcone synthase levels are also induced in cotyledons, although crude elicitor and all fractions suppress L-phenylalanine ammonia-lyase activity in both tissues. Kievitone is the major phytoalexin induced in cotyledons, whereas in hypocotyls phaseollin predominates. Patterns of phytoalexin accumulation have been studied in response to varying concentrations of the crude and fractionated elicitor; 5-hydroxy isoflavonoid accumulation is highly dependent upon elicitor concentration, the dose-response curves for kievitone accumulation showing maxima at around 1 μg glucose equivalents per cotyledon, minima at 2-3 μg equivalents and increasing induction at higher concentrations. Similar patterns are observed for L-phenylalanine ammonia-lyase and chalcone synthase levels, although the overall extent of these changes is masked by the high wound response. Accumulation of 5-deoxy isoflavonoids above control levels requires high elicitor concentrations; no experimental conditions were found under which phaseollin accumulated to higher levels than kievitone in cotyledons during the first 48 h after elicitation.