[Growth of green suspension cultures of nicotiana tabacum var. "Samsun" with CO2 as carbon source]

Abstract

The photosynthetic CO2-fixation of cell cultures of Nicotiana tabacum var. "Samsun" is strongly inhibited by 2,4-dichlorphenoxyacetic acid and lies below the compensation point in cells grown with 2,4-D as an auxin. Cultivating the tobacco cells with α-naphthylacetic acid instead of 2,4-D results in an increase in the chlorophyll content and a several fold increase in the photosynthetic activity of the cells. It is shown that green suspension cultures of N. tabacum var. "Samsun" are able to grow with carbon dioxide as carbon source. This autotrophic growth is enhanced by an increase in the concentration of carbon dioxide but in our experiments does not reach the rate of growth of cells cultivated with saccharose. There is no difference in the protein content of autotrophically, mixotrophically, and heterotrophically grown cells.