Using elicitors for enhanced production of secondary metabolites in plant cell and organ suspension cultures

Abstract

In biotechnology has been concentrated to review alternative routes for the production of natural compounds. Plant cell culture systems are viable alternatives for the production of secondary metabolites that are of commercial importance in food and pharmaceutical industries. However, relatively very few cultures synthesize these compounds over extended periods in amounts comparable to those found in whole plants. Various strategies have been employed to increase the production of secondary metabolites in cell cultures. These include manipulation of culture media (hormonal and nutrient stress) and environmental conditions (temperature, pH and osmotic stress), precursor addition, elicitation and combination of these strategies. Nowadays, genetic manipulation of biosynthetic pathways by metabolic engineering has also become a powerful technique for enhanced production of desired metabolites. Studies have shown that both biotic and abiotic elicitors synthesis of secondary metabolites increases in plant cell culture medium.