Flow cytometric analysis of protein content in Taxus protoplasts and single cells as compared to aggregated suspension cultures

Plant suspension cultures are highly aggregated, preventing the direct application of flow cytometry for the study of population dynamics. The utility of single cells to accurately represent aggregated suspension cultures was tested through the analysis of total protein content. Specifically, protein content of two Taxus cuspidata suspension culture lines was studied using the Bradford assay for aggregated suspension cultures, and flow cytometry with fluorescein isothiocyanate staining for protoplasts and single cells. Taxus protein levels were measured at 75 - 160 mg per gram dry weight via the Bradford assay. Aggregated suspension cultures, protoplasts, and single cells predicted the same trend of protein content over the culture period ( 21 days). Normalized protein content of isolated single cells was statistically equivalent to aggregated suspensions for both cell lines. However, normalized protein content of isolated protoplasts showed significant differences from aggregated suspensions for one of the two cell lines. Elicitation with methyl jasmonate (MJ) is commonly utilized to increase paclitaxel accumulation in suspension cultures, and therefore the effect of MJ elicitation on protein content in aggregated suspensions, isolated single cells and protoplasts was assessed. Aggregated suspension cultures, protoplasts, and single cells did not show any change in total protein content following elicitation with MJ at 200 muM on day 7. This study illustrates the usefulness of flow cytometry for obtaining culture population information and the value of using intact single cells for the study of plant metabolism.