Authors: Iosif Papanastasiou Katerina Soukouli Georgia Moschopoulou Jane Kahia Spiridon Kintzios
Publish Date: 2007/12/06
Volume: 92, Issue: 2, Pages: 215-225
Abstract
We investigated the effect of the physical state of the nutrient medium on the induction of somatic embryogenesis on cell cultures derived from coffee Coffea arabica L Nonembryogenic callus tissues were pulsed initially with 50 μM 6benzyladenine BA for 6 24 or 48 h in halfstrength liquid Murashige and Skoog MS medium After pretreatment calli were transferred to agarsolidified halfstrength MS medium supplemented with 50 μM BA ‘standard induction medium’ Control callus tissues were incubated directly on the solid standard induction medium Callus growth was promoted by longer pretreatment periods Formation of globular somatic embryos was observed on callus tissues pretreated with BA for 24 or 48 h which developed fully to cotyledonarystage within only 2 weeks after transfer to agarsolidified medium supplemented with BA No embryo formation occurred in control cultures Pretreatment with BA in liquid medium was associated with changes in the redox status of cultured cells such as alterations of the ascorbate–glutathione redox systems and the accumulation of free radicals and oxidized lipids as well as the possible reduction of cytochrome cmediated apoptotic pathways In particular the induction of somatic embryogenesis was highly positively correlated r 2 = 0822 with the accumulation of protein carbonyls The physiological role of BA as an inducer of both embryonic differentiation and cellular death is discussed
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