Search for Factors Related to the Indole Alkaloid Production in Cell Suspension Cultures of Tabernaemontana divaricata.

Three strains derived from one cell line of a suspension culture of TABERNAEMONTANA DIVARICATA were obtained by subculturing on three different media: (i) Strain A: normal MS-medium (1), (ii) Strain S: medium in which the carbon source was starch instead of sucrose, and (iii) Strain N: medium in which the ammonium/nitrate ratio was changed from 1: 2 to 1:1. The alkaloid contents of all three strains were compared at each subculture for nearly one year. Strain N showed after its initiation a gradually increasing alkaloid production up to levels of about 500 microg/gDW. Strain A (on the original medium) showed a stable, but low alkaloid production (+/- 20 microg/gDW) while strain S turned into a non-producing line. The dissimilation curves, morphology, intracellular carbohydrates, and free amino acid pools of all three strains were determined. Strain N showed the highest biomass, the least dissimilation, most plastids, most intracellular carbohydrates, and high levels of arginine and glutamine, while strain S showed the lowest biomass, most dissimilation, no plastids, little intracellular carbohydrates, and high levels of arginine, phenylalanine, and tyrosine. The observed differences are discussed and evidence is provided that the differences are not caused by genetic instability.