Somatic embryogenesis in Solanum tuberosum from cell suspension cultures: histological analysis and extracellular protein patterns

An embryogenic cell suspension, continuously grown in Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium with 0.5 mg/L of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid, was established from friable callus of Solanum tuberosum internode sections. The cell suspension was predominantly composed of cell masses and free embryogenic cells. When transferred to an auxin-free medium with zeatin, somatic embryos (SEs) developed and converted to complete plants when cultured on solid MS medium without growth regulators. The system produced approximately 600 SEs per 50 mL of medium. In this investigation, accumulation of extracellular proteins (EPs) of different molecular weights were found associated to different phases of the embryogenic process. At the initiation of the cell suspension, cell clusters and free cells present in the culture (phase “A”) secreted a 78 kDa EP, unique to this phase. In phase “B”, which is related to embryonic cell determination process, proteins (7–14 kDa) were secreted mainly by embryogenic cells. In phase “C”, SEs in different developmental stages secreted protein of 32 kDa, which appeared as a particular feature of the phase. EPs of phase “D”, secreted by torpedo and mature embryos, had molecular weights between 20 and 50 kDa. Further studies will be necessary to identify these proteins and link them to previously identified somatic embryogenesis-related proteins. Histological analysis of the potato embryogenesis in liquid media showed unicellular origin of the SE.