Little is known about the biosynthetic mechanism (s) of norlignans with C 6–C 5–C 6 skeletons in spite of their important contributions to heartwood formation in conifers. To clarify the mechanism (s), we have established cell-suspension cultures of Asparagus officinalis that produce a norlignan,(Z)-hinokiresinol, after fungal elicitor treatment. Feeding experiments with ring-or side chain-13 C-and/or 2 H-labelled phenylpropanoid monomers ...
