Production of Anthocyanins, Carotenoids, and Proanthocyanidins by Cultured Cells of Rabbiteye Blueberry (Vaccinium asheiReade)

Two types of cell lines, a red-cell predominant line and a yellow-cell predominant one, were selected from secondary callus of rabbiteye blueberry (Vaccinium ashei Reade) leaf, and subcultured in the light and in the dark, respectively. Cultures of the red-cell line produced anthocyanins and the composition was simple as compared with that of the parent plant. The yellow-cell line produced carotenoids which had a visible absorption spectrum similar to that of neochrome. Both cell lines produced proanthocyanidins at the same levels. Proanthocyanidins were detected as red pigment (anthocyanidins) upon incubation of cells with 1% HCI-methanol at 50°C for 18 h. Composition of the, anthocyanidins was simple as compared with that of those formed from proanthocyanidins in leaves during incubation. The anthocyanidins showed a retention time very closely related to that of authentic cyanidin by high performance liquid chromatography and comprised about 64% of the total peak area. Amounts of anthocyanins and proanthocyanidins (as anthocyanidins) in cultured cells didn’t exceed those in the parent plant.