Significantly improved taxuyunnanine C production in cell suspension cultures of Taxus chinensis by process intensification of repeated elicitation, sucrose feeding, and in situ adsorption

A highly efficient process intensification strategy was developed to enhance the taxuyunnanine C (Tc) production in Taxus chinensis (T. chinensis) by combining repeated elicitation with a synthesized jasmonate analog, 2,3-dihydroxypropyl jasmonate (DHPJA), sucrose feeding and in situ adsorption. Suspension cultures of a high Tc-producing cell line of T. chinensis were supplemented twice, on day 7 and day 12, with 100 μM DHPJA. The cultures were also supplemented by feeding 20 g sucrose/l and 100 g Ambelite XAD-7/l on day 7. This strategy had a synergistic effect on Tc synthesis, causing a significant increase in the Tc yield to 1,715.13 ± 124.12 mg/l on day 21. The yield was 3.28-fold above that produced by repeated DHPJA elicitation combined with sucrose feeding. When XAD-7 was replaced by Amberlite XAD-7 HP, the result was slightly different. The highest Tc yield of 1,728.84 ± 50.37 mg/l was achieved on day 27. The Tc yield achieved here is greater than twice the highest yield reported previously, the sole reported taxoid production yield above the gram per liter level. Given the pharmaceutical importance of taxoids, the results of this study will greatly contribute to the potential industrial production of Tc and other taxoids by plant cell cultures.