The Taxus cell cultures primarily used in the Roberts laboratory are twenty-five years old and have limited production of the specialized metabolite, paclitaxel, approved for the treatment of a variety of cancers, presumably due to high levels of global DNA methylation. This project focuses on initiation of new cell cultures for comparison to the old cultures and examines the relationship between the culture’s global DNA methylation and paclitaxel production levels to culture age. In addition, experiments were designed to use a demethylating agent, 5-azacytidine, to understand its effect on global DNA methylation and paclitaxel production. It was proven that media 2 and 4 resulted in the highest calli initiation percentage from Taxus needles, and media 1 and T were optimal for maintenance.

• This report represents the work of one or more WPI undergraduate students submitted to the faculty as evidence of completion of a degree requirement. WPI routinely publishes these reports on its website without editorial or peer review.

Creator

• McClenahan, Seth Robert
• Rogers, Wesley M

Publisher

• Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Identifier

• E-project-032218-213647

Advisor

• Roberts, Susan Celia

Year

• 2018

Date created

• 2018-03-22

Resource type

• Major Qualifying Project

Major

• Chemical Engineering

Rights statement

• In Copyright