The role of the cell cycle in determining gene expression and productivity in CHO cells

Understanding the relationships between cell cycle and protein expression is critical to the optimisation of media and environmental conditions for successful commercial operation of animal cell culture processes. Using flow cytometry for the analysis of the early phases of synchronised batch cultures, the dependency of product expression on cell cycle related events has been evaluated in a recombinant CHO cell line. Although the production of recombinant protein is initially found to be cell cycle related, the maximum specific protein productivity is only achieved at a later stage of the exponential phase which also sees a maximum in the intracellular protein concentration. Subsequent work suggests that it is the batch phase/medium composition of cultures which is the major determinant of maximum specific productivity in this cell line. Furthermore the effect of the positive association between S phase and specific productivity is subordinate to the effect of batch phase/medium composition on the specific productivity of batch cultures.