title: beta-fluoro-coniferyl alcohol does not inhibit lignin biosynthesis in suspension cultures of Picea abies (L.) Karst.
abstract: A fluorinated analogue of coniferyl alcohol has been reported to be a specific inhibitor of oxidases involved in the biosynthesis of lignin. The Z isomer of beta-fluoro-coniferyl alcohol was synthesized and used for the preparation of dehydrogenation polymers (DHPs) and was also tested on lignin producing suspension cultures of spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.). The growth of the cells or the production of lignin by the suspension cultures was not significantly affected by the addition of fluoroconiferyl alcohol. This analogue did not form polymers quite as easily as did coniferyl alcohol in oxidation with hydrogen peroxide and horseradish peroxidase. In both cases the beta-fluoroconiferyl alcohol became incorporated in the polymeric product. We were unable to detect any specific inhibition of peroxidase activity, which is at variance with earlier reports of pronounced inhibition of lignin biosynthesis in poplar plantlets by fluoroconiferin, a potential inhibitor of oxidases involved in lignin biosynthesis.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Organic Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, University of Helsinki, PO Box 56, FIN-00014, Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gustafsson
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kärkönen
authors.forename: L K
authors.initials: LK
authors.lastname: Simola
authors.forename: T H
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Teeri
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sipilä
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Kilpeläinen
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Brunow
mesh_terms: D003470:Culture Media; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D007700:Kinetics; D008031:Lignin / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000096:biosynthesis; D010636:Phenols / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D028222:Picea / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D003470:Culture Media; D010636:Phenols; D008031:Lignin; C010559:coniferyl alcohol