Influence of shear stress on anthraquinones production by Rubia tinctorum suspension cultures

BUSTO, VICTOR; CALABRO LOPEZ, ARIEL; PERASSOLO, MARÍA; QUEVEDO, CARLA; MARTINEZ, CAROLINA; CARDILLO, ALEJANDRA BEATRIZ; RODRIGUEZ TALOU, JULIAN; GIULIETTI, ANA MARIA

Villa Carlos Paz

Congreso; SAIB 2008; 2008

Elicitation of plant cell cultures is an effective strategy to enhance the production of secondary metabolites. Shear stress has been used as a mechanical elicitor to induce secondary metabolite accumulation in many plant species. Rubia tinctorum suspension cultures produce anthraquinones (AQs), secondary metabolites, which are important in the pharmaceutical and food industries. In this work the effect of different levels of shear stress on AQs production in R. tinctorum suspension cultures was studied. To induce shear stress 100 mL unbaffled and baffled shake flasks on an orbital shaker at 360 rpm were used. Controls were carried out in 100 mL unbaffled flasks agitated at 100 rpm. Cultures were grown at 25 °C with a 16 h photoperiod using cool white fluorescent tubes. Biomass concentration, cell death and AQs production were evaluated. Cell death was 16% and 17% after 24 h of shear stress in unbaffled and baffled flasks respectively. Regrowth assays showed that both controls and 24 h stressed suspension cultures reached similar biomass concentration after 7 days of incubation. AQs production increased 22% and 57% after 24 h of shear stress in unbaffled and baffled flasks respectively. These results show that shear stress elicits AQs production in R. tinctorum cell suspension cultures and could be a potential strategy for industrial production of these secondary metabolites.