Study on hairy root cultures of Camptotheca acuminata (Nyssaceae) and the camptothecin (CPT) from medium

Camptothecin (CPT) is an anticancer and antiviral alkaloid produced by the Camptotheca acuminata (Nyssaceae). Several attempts have been made to produce CPT from cell suspensions. However,the low yields obtained limit this approach. The ability of plant hairy root cultures may be an alternative source of alkaloid production. Hairy root cultures of C. acuminata were established from tissue transformed with Agrobacterium rhizogenes strains As1.2556. Integration of the genes responsible for the hairy-root phenotype (rolB genes) into the plant genome was verified by DNA PCR analysis. As the method for the determination of Campto-thecin (CPT) from the medium by RP-HPLC was established,the method for the extracting of Camptothecin (CPT) from the medium with polyacrylamid was established. The cultures were able to synthesize the alkaloids at levels equal to 0.14 mg/g dry weight for CPT from the hairy root.