Adhesion of plant roots to poly-L-lysine coated polypropylene substrates

The ability to immobilize plant tissue in a bioreactor is an important process tool. We have shown that roots of several species rapidly attach to poly-L-lysine coated polypropylene mesh in a liquid environment. Using transformed roots of Artemisia annua as a model, the attachment process was found to be enhanced by sheep serum, but not BSA and inhibited by excess Mn(2+), but unaffected by Ca(2+) or Mg(2+). Attempts to characterize the molecule(s) responsible for binding using lectins and antibodies showed that the binding site does not appear to be glycosylated or vitronectin-like. This method of rapid attachment should prove useful for controlled immobilization of roots in bioreactors.