Effect of aeration rate and influence of pCO2 in large-scale cultures of Catharanthus roseus cells

Abstract

Summary.Catharanthus roseus cells were grown at various aeration rates using normal or CO2-enriched air. Kinetic data showed a detrimental effect of the increase of the gassing rate on the growth characteristics due to CO2 stripping. When the CO2 partial pressure in the culture was maintained at a constant level of 20 mbar, better growth and enhanced conversion yields were obtained.

Indole Alkaloid Production in Catharanthus roseus Cell Suspension Cultures

“…Under conditions of unlimited oxygen a high level of carbon source utilization can be achieved, while oxygen limitation markedly reduces the conversion rate (88). Similar results can be obtained under carbon dioxide enriched and limited-conditions (89,90). Above a critical level both oxygen and carbon dioxide suppress the growth.…”

“…Each method has its advantages and disadvantages. A special problem connected with the air-lift reactor is the growth inhibiting effect of high aeration rates (90,98,99). An alternative approach to the mixing problem might be modification of the medium in such a way that aggregates remain smaller even while cells sustain their biosynthetic capacity (61).…”

Growth and activities of enzymes of primary metabolism in batch cultures of Catharanthus roseus cell suspension under different pCO2 conditions

“…In addition, no detrimental effect on the growth characteristics was observed upon increasing the gassing rate when the partial pressure of carbon dioxide in the culture was maintained at a constant level of 20 mbar using CO2-enriched air as the sparging gas [2]. We concluded that carbon dioxide exerts a growth promoting effect during the early period of growth and that the pCO2 needs to be considered as an operating parameter to ensure optimal growth in largescale cultures.…”

Cell and tissue cultures ofCatharanthus roseus (L.) G. Don: a literature survey

“…In such fermentors, cultured plant cells showed little sensitivity for shear stress [115]. Pareilleux & Vinas [117], Ducos & Pareilleux [118] and Hegarty et al [119] studied the effect of the aeration rate on culture growth. Too high and too low rates lead to a suboptimum in dissolved CO2 concentrations, which inhibited growth.…”