Evaluation of immobilisation effects on metabolic activities and productivity in plant cell processes

The effects on stress metabolism in plant cell cultures were determined after encapsulation in pectin/chitosan coacervate capsules. Immobilisation of cells increased the production of hydrogen peroxide. Different kinds of stress mechanisms were identified in two cultures. To characterise effects of immobilisation in detail, elicitation by polysaccharides used for coacervate formation were studied to evaluate the impact of chitosan or pectin on cell growth and stress metabolite synthesis in Cruciata glabra and Vitis vinifera cell suspensions. In V vinifera, chitosan treatment significantly increased production of hydrogen peroxide and phenylalanine ammonia lyase (PAL), where as anthocyanin concentrations were similar to control cultures. In C. glabra, immobilisation process enhanced hydrogen peroxide synthesis up to 533% followed by an improved anthraquinone concentration of 556%. The data indicate that immobilisation can be an effective tool to improve the effectiveness of a plant cell production process. This was dependent on type of cell culture used. Immobilisation stress detected by hydrogen peroxides was directly transducted into anthraquinone production. (C) 2003 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.