Production of indole alkaloids by surface immobilized C. roseus cells.

A technique was developed to surface immobilize plant cells and was scaled up in laboratory size bioreactors. This technique was shown not to hinder the biosynthetic potential of Catharanthus roseus immobilized cells and to induce a partial release (300 microg/L) of serpentine into the culture medium contrary to suspension cultured cells. The release pattern seemed to follow the biosynthesis trends of the product. This release mechanism could be stimulated by a factor of 10 within 2 h by increasing the pH of the culture from 5.0 to 5.5.