In connection with studies on production of useful compounds with cultured cells, formation of oil bodies in the cultured shoot primordia of Matricaria chamomilla (German chamomile) and chemical ...constituents of the oil bodies were investigated. Formation of oil bodies in the cultured shoot primordia was dependent on the concentration of phytohormones in the media; a Murashige-Skoog's medium with 0.02mg/l of α-naphthaleneacetic acid and 0.2mg/l of 6-benzylaminopurine was suitable for the formation of oil bodies. The oil bodies comprised 90% acylglycerols, 8% free fatty acids, 0.7% phospholipids, and a little amount of steroids and proteins. Molecular weight of major protein isolated from the oil bodies was determined to be 30kDa by SDS-PAGE. Linoleic acid (18:2) was the major fatty acid in the acylglycerols of the oil bodies. Considerable amount of linolenic acid (18:3) was contained in the oil bodies of the cultured shoot primordia (a vegetative organ), compared with that in the oil bodies of the seeds (a storage organ) of M. chamomilla.
