Abstract
We were able to establish a suspension culture of Linum boissieri. that produces 6-methoxypodophyllotoxin (6MPT). As a first step to gain insight into the lignan biosynthesis in L. boissieri. cell cultures, we were able to measure phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL) activity in raw protein extracts. PAL is a key enzyme in the early part of the general phenylpropanoid pathway, leading (beside others) to the precursors for lignan biosynthesis.