• KSBB Journal
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.195-200
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• 2009

The effect of nitrogen source on cell growth and benzo[c]phenanthridine alkaloids production by modifying $NO_3\;^-:NH_4\;^+$ ratio in cell suspension culture of Eschscholtzia califarnica was investigated. When total nitrogen concentration is maintained (60 mM), maximum benzo[c]phenanthridine alkaloids production is about 60.72 mg/L at 50:10 (mol/mol). This productivity was 3.8 times higher than that obtained when cells were grown instandard MS medium. The decrease of $NO_3\;^-:NH_4\;^+$ ratio at 60 mM of total nitrogen caused the decline of both growth and benzo[c]phenanthridine alkaloids production. Under the same concentration of $N0_3\;^-$ (50 mM), higher concentration of $NH_4\;^+$ inhibited cell growth strongly but induced alkaloids production slightly. Also, under the same concentration of $NH_4\;^+$ (25 mM), higher concentration of $N0_3\;^-$ induced alkaloids production strongly but high concentration of $N0_3\;^-$ (${\geq}$100 mM) interfered alkaloids instead. Maximum benzo[c]phenanthridine alkaloids production is about 62.71 mg/L at 50:25 (mol/mol). These results suggest that higher biomass and higher alkaloids production could be obtained by optimizing each nitrogen concentration as well as $NO_3\;^-:NH_4\;^+$ ratio in the culture medium. Nitrate and ammonium in culture medium have distinct role in the regulation of growth and alkaloids production; ammonium had a strong influence on growth while nitrate had an influence on alkaloids production.