Application of a new structured model to tobacco cell cultures

A new structured kinetic model has been formulated and applied to batch suspensions of Nicotiana tabacum. This model has been developed by representing culture interactions with pathways designated for structural component production, secondary metabolite synthesis, and cellular respiration. Additional provisions were made to distinguish growth-competitive secondary metabolite production from non-growth-competitive secondary metabolite production. Parameters for kinetic rate expressions within the model were estimated based upon experimental observations utilized in conjunction with numerical optimization techniques. Using these parameters, culture growth, substrate uptake, cell respiration, and total phenolics production were all successfully correlated to experimental data from shake flask cultures of N. tabacum.