Cyclodextrins: a tool in plant cell and organ culture bioprocesses for the production of secondary metabolites

Plant cell culture bioprocesses have become an alternative source for bioactive compound production to the traditional extraction technology from plants grown in nature or through agricultural techniques. Thus, environmental conditions could make the supply of these secondary metabolites intermittent and heterogeneous. Therefore, plant cell cultures assure a continuous product supply, homogeneous production, fulfilling GMP requirements. Elicitation has been an extensively used strategy to boost secondary metabolite production in plant cell cultures. Cyclodextrins, the naturally occurring cyclic oligosaccharides of glucose residues, has emerged as an elicitor that can trigger plant cell defense responses and secondary metabolite accumulation. Moreover, CDs can form complex with most of the plant secondary compounds, thus contribute to product removal, which results in the elimination of feedback inhibition of product biosynthesis and also prevents product degradation and toxicity against the plant cells. In the present manuscript, we collect and compare the effects of cyclodextrins on different secondary metabolite pathways in plant cell culture processes. We review different case studies, which includes the production of phenylpropanoids, terpenes, alkaloids, naphthoquinones and anthraquinones derivatives. In the present manuscript, we collect and compare the effects of cyclodextrins on different secondary metabolite pathways in plant cell culture, which include the production of phenylpropanoids, terpenes, alkaloids, naphthoquinones and anthraquinones derivatives. Key message Cyclodextrins trigger secondary metabolite production in plant cell cultures and product release. Moreover, they form complexes with these bioactive compounds, reduce feedback inhibition biosynthesis and their degradation.