Ty. Hsiao et al., Development of a low capital investment reactor system: Application for plant cell suspension culture, BIOTECH PR, 15(1), 1999, pp. 114-122
Growth of plant cell cultures is demonstrated in an uncontrolled, simple, a
nd inexpensive plastic-lined vessel. Sustained specific growth rates of 0.2
2 day(-1) for Hyoscyamus muticus cell suspension cultures are achieved in a
low-cost gas-sparged bioreactor configuration (6.5 L working volume, wv) w
hich is comparable to an "optimized" 5 L wv mechanically agitated fermenter
. In an effort to reduce bioreactor costs, the need for an autoclavable ves
sel was eliminated. Sterilization is achieved by separate autoclaving of th
e plastic,liner and by gas-phase sterilization using ethylene oxide. The in
itial,run sterilized with ethylene oxide displayed a long lag, apparently d
ue to residual sterilant gas. Because ethylene oxide could eliminate costs
associated with autoclave rated vessels, a quantitative basis for aeration
time was developed by experimental measurements and modeling of diffusion i
n the polymer liner. Operational techniques to eliminate toxicity are imple
mented to grow 0.2 kg dry weight of plant cells in 13 days in a 40 L (28.5
L wv) air-lift bioreactor without autoclave sterilization. The biomass yiel
ds for all reactors were statistically indistinguishable from shake flask c
ulture.