Plant antibiotics produced through

tissue culture
• Antibiotics:
• Antibiotics are substances produced by
certain microorganisms that suppress the
growth of other microorganisms and
eventually destroy them.
 Antimicrobials in Plant Tissue
Culture
Antibiotics (Antimicrobials)

• Bacteristatic–Inhibit bacterial growth; bacteria viable but

“dormant”. Growth resumes in antibiotic-free medium.
• Bactericidal –Lethal to bacteria; no subsequent growth in
antibiotic-free medium
• Antifungal (Antimycotics) –Fungistatic& Fungicidal
• Broad-spectrum Antimicrobials –Inhibit or eliminate
bacteria and fungi.
• Antiviral –Inactivate virus
Ideally, Antibiotics in Plant Tissue
Culture are:
• Stable Broad spectrum of activity
• Unaffected by media pH or components Low chance
of bacterial resistance
• Inexpensive Lethal to microbe
• Minimal side effects
• (no phytotoxicity) Usable in combinations
Effect on Multiplication

• Grading antibiotics based on their inhibitory effect on

plant growth (reduced multiplication rate in vitro):
• Most Inhibitory
• Streptomycin ⇒Polymyxin-B ⇒
• Rifampicin⇒Carbenicillin
– Least Inhibitory
Do I Have to Add Antibiotics to the Medium?

– Not necessarily…
• Stock Plant Treatment–Reduced phytotoxicity
– •Heveashoots-tips ⇒inhibited growth w/ antibiotics in
medium.
– •No inhibition if stock plant sprayed every 2 days for 2
weeks before culture.
– •Contamination controlled
• Other studies have shown reduced bacterial
growth in shoot-tips & buds w/ regular antibiotic
treatments to stock pants.
Bacteristatic Bactericidal

Reversible inhibition of Lethal to Bacteria.

bacterial growth.

May have bactericidal Bacteristaticat low

activity at high concentrations.
concentrations.

Includes: Includes:
Choramphenicols Aminoglycosides
Tetracyclines Cephalosporins
Macrolides (Erythromycin) Penicillins
Polymyxins(Polymyxin-B)
Rifamycins(Rifampicin)
Antifungals(Antimycotics)

– Amphotericin B
• Cycloheximide
• Nystatin
• Griseofulvin
– Petachloronitrobenzene(PCNB)
• Thiabendazole
Wide-Spectrum Antimicrobials

• PPM™(Plant Preservative Mixture)

• 8-Hydroxyquinoline
thiostrepton