Canavanine metabolism in tissue cultures of Canavalia lineata

The greening of callus was achieved by modulating the medium's growth regulator concentrations under continuous light. Canavalia lineata (L.) DC, calluses formed chlorophyll when they were exposed to continuous light in the presence of benzylaminopurine and indole-3-acetic acid. Canavanine and canaline were detected in the green callus. But only canaline was detected in the white callus grown in the dark. Feedings of canaline to suspension cultures showed that the green suspended cells were capable of de novo biosynthesis of canavanine, but the white suspended cells were not. Exogeneously supplied canavanine was used to produce canaline and homoserine by the white suspended cells. Arginase activity was induced by the addition of arginine or canavanine to the medium, and canaline reductase activity was induced by the addition of canaline but not with ornithine in the white suspended cells.