Biopolymers and cell. 1999; 15 (6): 501 - 509

Shikonin accumulation and cytological peculiarities of highly productive Arnebia euchroma cell strain upon surface and submerged maintenance

O. A. Poronnyk, V. A. Kunakh, V. I. Adonin

A. euchroma novel cell strain A/7-3, accumulating about 80 and 100 ingl1 .thikonin per day upon maintenance in suspension culture and on agarized medium, respectively, has been studied. The study on cell and nucleus size, their morphology, evaluation of mitotic activity, chromosome number, level and types of their aberration failed to demonstrate any essential difference under the various conditions of maintenance. The strain appears to be mixoploid showing chromosome variation range from 10 to 130 chromosomes with modal classes formed by cells carrying 30 to 37 chromosomes and characterized by low level of antiphase chromosome aberration (about 6 %). Comparison of various A. euchroma cell lines has not revealed any relationship between their productivity and cytolofi/cal and cytogenetic peculiarities.