New synergistic co-culture of Corylus avellana cells and Epicoccum nigrum for paclitaxel production.

Paclitaxel is a main impressive chemotherapeutic agent with unique mode of action and broad-spectrum activity against cancers. Hazel (Corylus avellana) is a paclitaxel-producing species through bioprospection. Endophytic fungi have significant roles in plant paclitaxel production. This study evaluated the effect of co-culture of C. avellana cells and paclitaxel-producing endophytic fungus, Epicoccum nigrum strain YEF2 and also the effect of elicitors derived from this fungal strain on paclitaxel production. The results clearly revealed that co-culture of C. avellana cells and E. nigrum was more effective than elicitation of C. avellana cells by only cell extract or culture filtrate of this fungal strain. Co-culture of C. avellana cells and E. nigrum surpassed monocultures in terms of paclitaxel production designating their synergistic interaction potential. Fungal inoculum amount, co-culture establishment time and co-culture period were important factors for achieving the maximum production of paclitaxel in this co-culture system. The highest total yield of paclitaxel (404.5 µg L-1) was produced in co-culture established on 13th day using 3.2% (v/v) of E. nigrum mycelium suspension, which was about 5.5 and 136.6 times that in control cultures of C. avellana cells and E. nigrum, respectively. This is the first report on positive effect of co-culture of paclitaxel-producing endophytic fungus and non-host plant cells for enhancing paclitaxel production.