Orthovanadate Induces Phytoalexin Production in Pea Suspension-Cultured Cells

We previously reported that the addition of orthovanadate suppressed the defense responses of plant differentiated tissues induced by a fungal elicitor.In this report,the effect of orthovanadate on the defense response of pea cultured cells was examined.The activities of ATPase and PI metabolism in plasma membrance fraction,which was prepared from suspension-cultured cells,were inhibited in vitro by orthovanadate as well as those in plasma membrances from pea epicotyl tissues. However,orthovanadate alone induced the accumulation of a phytoalexin, pisatin in suspention-clutured cells of pea in a manner similar to CuCl2.The viability of pea suspension-cultured cells was decreased by orthovanadate as well as by CuCl2.These results indicated that orthovanadate acts as an abiotic elicitor to pea suspension-cultured cell as observed in those of red bean,peanut and Perunia hybrida.