Enhanced indole alkaloid production in suspension compact callus clusters of Catharanthus roseus : impacts of plant growth regulators and sucrose

• Published in: Plant growth regulation 2001, Vol.33 (1), p.33-41
• Main Authors: JIAN ZHAO, ZHU, Wei-Hua, QIU HU, HE, Xing-Wang
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Biological and medical sciences; Biotechnology; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Growth regulators; Health. Pharmaceutical industry; Industrial applications and implications. Economical aspects; Other active biomolecules; Plant growth; Production of active biomolecules; Studies; Sucrose
• ISSN: 0167-6903; 1573-5087
• DOI: 10.1023/A:1010732308175

A special culture system, compact callus clusters, was developed from Catharanthus roseus stem explants in a modified Murashige and Skoog (MS) liquid medium containing 5.37 µM α-naphthaleneacetic acid and 4.65 µM kinetin. Morphological and anatomical studies showed that the globular compact callus cluster cultures consisted of many cohesive callus aggregates displaying some level of cellular/tissue differentiation, which was also in agreement with the results from peroxidase and esterase isoenzyme pattern analysis. The compact callus cluster cultures could synthesise about 2-fold more indole alkaloids than the dispersed cell cultures, and this was postulated to be associated with their differential status. Plant growth regulators and sucrose concentration, as well as shaking speed significantly affected properties of the compact callus clusters. In detail, 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid destroyed the compact structure and reduced alkaloid production of the compact callus cluster cultures; but a high concentration of cytokinins was necessary to maintain the compact structure and high alkaloid production of the special cultures. The optimum sucrose (5-6%) gave the greatest alkaloid and biomass production, as well as the greatest degree of compaction of the compact callus clusters.[PUBLICATION ABSTRACT]