Elicitation and permeabilisation affect the accumulation and storage profile of phytoestrogens in high productive suspension cultures of Genista tinctoria

High productive suspension cultures of Genista tinctoria were elicited (methyl jasmonate or chitosan) and permeabilised (dimethyl sulfoxide) in order to achieve a plant in vitro system rich in isoflavones, with extracellular storage profile. The maximum concentration of isoflavone aglycones (4–6 times higher than in the controlled biomass) was obtained in the suspension elicited with chitosan. All isoflavonoids were stored inside cells. In case of methyl jasmonate supplementation the total concentration of isoflavone aglycones achieved was the result of the de novo biosynthesis as well as a hydrolysis of the storage ester forms. The presence of chitosan in the medium was only associated with the production of aglycones de novo. The elicitors had no effect on the accumulation and metabolism of the basic glycoside isoflavones in the suspension. The change in the way the isoflavones were stored was achieved after supplementing the growth media with dimethyl sulfoxide. Maximum concentration of isoflavones in the medium was observed in the 7th hour of the experiment. Eventually, a plant growth system was developed, producing over 11% of isoflavones, ejected as a result of chemical permeabilisation, into the growth medium (approx. 80% of total amount of these compounds in the biomass).