Plants, Cells, Algae, and Cyanobacteria In Vitro and Cryobank Collections at the Institute of Plant Physiology, Russian Academy of Sciences—A Platform for Research and Production Center

Abstract

Ex situ collections of algae, cyanobacteria, and plant materials (cell cultures, hairy and adventitious root cultures, shoots, etc.) maintained in vitro or in liquid nitrogen (−196 °C, LN) are valuable sources of strains with unique ecological and biotechnological traits. Such collections play a vital role in bioresource conservation, science, and industry development but are rarely covered in publications. Here, we provide an overview of five genetic collections maintained at the Institute of Plant Physiology of the Russian Academy of Sciences (IPPRAS) since the 1950–1970s using in vitro and cryopreservation approaches. These collections represent different levels of plant organization, from individual cells (cell culture collection) to organs (hairy and adventitious root cultures, shoot apices) to in vitro plants. The total collection holdings comprise more than 430 strains of algae and cyanobacteria, over 200 potato clones, 117 cell cultures, and 50 strains of hairy and adventitious root cultures of medicinal and model plant species. The IPPRAS plant cryobank preserves in LN over 1000 specimens of in vitro cultures and seeds of wild and cultivated plants belonging to 457 species and 74 families. Several algae and plant cell culture strains have been adapted for cultivation in bioreactors from laboratory (5–20-L) to pilot (75-L) to semi-industrial (150–630-L) scale for the production of biomass with high nutritive or pharmacological value. Some of the strains with proven biological activities are currently used to produce cosmetics and food supplements. Here, we provide an overview of the current collections’ composition and major activities, their use in research, biotechnology, and commercial application. We also highlight the most interesting studies performed with collection strains and discuss strategies for the collections’ future development and exploitation in view of current trends in biotechnology and genetic resources conservation.

Bioreactor Systems for Plant Cell Cultivation at the Institute of Plant Physiology of the Russian Academy of Sciences: 50 Years of Technology Evolution from Laboratory to Industrial Implications

“…The main advantages are independence from seasonal, climatic, and soil conditions, ecofriendly production process, a variety of strategies available for maximizing the yield of cell biomass and the compounds of interest, unlimited application to plant species with rare/endangered/at-risk status, and the use of standard equipment designed for microbiological productions including bioreactors, post-fermentation systems, etc., with only minor modifications. Recent advances in bioengineering and in vitro selection technologies may prompt the development of superior cell lines with intensive growth and the production of the desired metabolites at similar or higher levels compared to wild plants [21][22][23].…”

“…producing shikonin derivatives, etc. [15,19,22,28,[34][35][36][37]. Until the 2000s, plant cell-based biotechnologies have been mainly considered most relevant for the products that are unprofitable or unfeasible to manufacture using traditional methods of wild plant collections or plantation cultivation, for example, for bioactive metabolites produced by rare, endemic, or slowly growing plants [38,39].…”

“…Here, we provide a historical perspective and a comprehensive review of our experience gained through several decades of plant cell cultivation using bioreactor systems of different types, volumes, designs, and operation regimes. Most studies were performed using cell culture strains from the All-Russian Collection of Plant Cell Cultures of IPPRAS featured in the previous review [22]. Each section gives a brief introduction to the different Here, we provide a historical perspective and a comprehensive review of our experience gained through several decades of plant cell cultivation using bioreactor systems of different types, volumes, designs, and operation regimes.…”

“…Each section gives a brief introduction to the different Here, we provide a historical perspective and a comprehensive review of our experience gained through several decades of plant cell cultivation using bioreactor systems of different types, volumes, designs, and operation regimes. Most studies were performed using cell culture strains from the All-Russian Collection of Plant Cell Cultures of IPPRAS featured in the previous review [22]. Each section gives a brief introduction to the different aspects of bioreactor cultivation and discusses their implications for plant cell cultures based on the literature and our experience.…”