Characterization of a macromolecular matrix isolated from tobacco suspension cell cultures and its role in the activation of promutagenic m-phenylenediamine.

The medium recovered from the tobacco cell suspension cultures (TX1MX) activated the promutagenic aromatic amine m-phenylenediamine (mPDA) and a macromolecular complex (gel) responsible for the arylamine activation was isolated from the medium. The gel formation and the role of the gel components in the plant activation of mPDA to products mutagenic in S. typhimurium YG1024 were studied. The activation of mPDA was caused by the peroxidases present in TX1MX. We demonstrated an association of the peroxidase activity and gel pectins. Formation of a stable mutagenic association of mPDA with the macromolecular material was observed. The data indicate that the gel isolated from TX1MX is the macromolecular component of the arylamine conjugate proposed in earlier work.