Studies on the production of indole-3-acetic acid with auxin-heterotrophic mutants derived from cultured crown gall cells

Mutants in the indole-3-acetic acid metabolism derived fromcultured crown gall cells were tested to see whether they couldutilize any one of eight indolic compounds in place of indole-3-aceticacid. Two auxin-heterotrophic mutant cell lines could not utilizeindolepyruvic acid, but growth recovered when there was a supplementof indole-3-acetic acid. Indoleacetonitril and indoleacetaldoximeinhibited the growth of mutant cell lines and their parentalcrown gall cells. Cultured crown gall cells may have synthesizedindole-3-acetic acid from tryptophan via indolepyruvic acidand indole-acetaldehyde, and also may be able to produce indole-3-aceticacid from tryptophan via tryptamine (Received May 6, 1980; )