Effect of chlorpromazine and benzo[a]phenothiazines on heterotrophic auxin requiring and autotrophic auxin non-requiring tobacco tissue cultures.

Chlorpromazine and four benzo[a]phenothiazines were tested on the growth and auxin level of auxin requiring heterotrophic and auxin non-requiring autotrophic tobacco tissue cultures originating from transgenic plants. The auxin content was followed by the expression of GUS reporter gene connected with auxin inducible mass promoter. The benzo[a]phenothiazines had a higher antiproliferative effect than chlorpromazine. The exogenous auxin non-requiring autotrophic callus was more sensitive than the auxin requiring heterotrophic callus (Based on the low GUS activity). The reduced growth of auxin autotrophic tissues may be due to the low endogenous auxin content.