Isoprenoid Production via Plant Cell Cultures: Biosynthesis, Accumulation and Scaling-Up to Bioreactors

Abstract

Plant cell culture is traditionally viewed as a unique artifi cially created biological system representing a heterogenous population of dedifferentiated cells. This system undergoes a continuous process of autoselection based on the intensity and stability of cell proliferation. We discuss here the details of formation and regulation of isoprenoid biosynthesis in plant cell in vitro based on literature survey and our research. Obviously, secondary metabolism differs in cell culture compared to the plant per se , because in cell culture metabolites are synthesized and compartmentalized within a single heterotrophic cell with sparse or underdeveloped vacuoles and plastids. For example, in plant cell cultures isoprenoid biosynthesis via MVA pathway was found to be more active than via plastid-localized MEP pathway. Also, it was hypothesized that cell cultures preferably produce metabolites, which promote cell proliferation and growth. Indeed, cell cultures of Dioscorea deltoidea produced mainly furostanol glycosides, which promoted cell division. Triterpene glycosides (ginsenosides) in the cell cultures of various Panax species are represented mainly by Rg-and Rb-groups. Rb ginsenosides are predominantly found as malonyl-esters that may infl uence their intracellular localization.Despite the difference in the isoprenoid composition in plant and cell culture the latter became an attractive source of phytochemicals as an alternative to plant harvesting. We provide in this chapter the guidelines to biotechnological production of plant isoprenoids using plant cell cultures and discuss the optimal methods of bioreactor-based cultivation and cryopreservation of plant cell collections.

Suspension Cell Culture of Dioscorea deltoidea—A Renewable Source of Biomass and Furostanol Glycosides for Food and Pharmaceutical Industry

“…It has been reported that cell cultures of Dioscorea spp. accumulate predominantly SG of the furostanol type [47]. The content and ratio of individual glycosides in cell culture vary significantly depending on both physical (gas exchange, temperature, bioreactor type) and chemical (medium composition, growth regulators) factors [24,43].…”

“…In the present study, the weight content of macro-and micro-elements in D. deltoidea cell biomass was determined using the ICP-MS method. This method has already been tested and used for analyzing macro-and micro-elements content in intact plants and cell cultures [47][48][49][50]. Cultured cells of D. deltoidea contained inorganic marco-and micro-elements that are essential for the human diet [50].…”

Comparative Study of the Genetic and Biochemical Variability of Polyscias filicifolia (Araliaceae) Regenerants Obtained by Indirect and Direct Somatic Embryogenesis as a Source of Triterpenes

“…extracts may also contain polyphenols, flavonoids, glycosides, saponins, cyanogenic glycosides, sterols and alkaloids [1,4,6,7]. In Southeast Asia, plants of Polyscias genus are broadly used in traditional medicine; for example, it is recorded in the official Vietnamese Pharmacopoeia as an anti-fatigue and cardiac drug [8].…”

In Vitro Response of Polyscias filicifolia (Araliaceae) Shoots to Elicitation with Alarmone–Diadenosine Triphosphate, Methyl Jasmonate, and Salicylic Acid

“…Fourn.) L. H. Bailey (Araliaceae), an evergreen shrub known as fern leaf Panax, is used in traditional Southeast Asia medicine due to its adaptogenic properties [ 17 ], and for its anti-fatigue, immunomodulating and anti-dizziness activity [ 18 ]. However, its phytochemical constituents are not fully recognized.…”