Growth and activities of enzymes of primary metabolism in batch cultures of Catharanthus roseus cell suspension under different pCO2 conditions

In vitro enzyme activities of glycolysis, pentose-phosphate pathway and dark CO2 fixation were assayed in batch cultures of heterotrophic Catharanthus roseus cells under various gassing rates and partial pressures of carbon dioxide. Detrimental effects of low pCO2 culture conditions on the growth characteristics could be linked to marked changes in levels of enzymes of primary metabolism during growth. The enzyme levels observed during the early stages of growth were found to be more stable when a constant pCO2 (20 mbar) was maintained and enabled exponential growth to be reached more rapidly. The importance of carbon dioxide as a “conditioning factor” of the culture medium is discussed.