Abstract
Here we present the TubeSpin bioreactor 50 (TubeSpins) as a simple and disposable culture system for Sf-9 insect cells in suspension. Sf-9 cells had substantially better growth in TubeSpins than in spinner flasks. After inoculation with 106 cells/ml, maximal cell densities of 16 × 106 and 6 × 106 cells/ml were reached in TubeSpins and spinner flasks, respectively. In addition the cell viability in these batch cultures remained above 90% for 10 days in TubeSpins but only for 4 days in spinner flasks. Inoculation at even higher cell densities reduced the duration of the lag phase. After inoculation at 2.5 × 106 cells/ml, the culture reached the maximum cell density within 3 days instead of 7 days as observed for inoculation with 106 cells/ml. Infection of Sf-9 cells in TubeSpins or spinner flasks with a recombinant baculovirus coding for green fluorescent protein (GFP) resulted in similar GFP-specific fluorescence levels. TubeSpins are thus an attractive option for the small-scale cultivation of Sf-9 cells in suspension and for baculovirus-mediated recombinant protein production.
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Acknowledgments
The authors thank Dr. Hilal Lashuel of the EPFL for the Sf-9 cells and Dr. Leona Gilbert of the University of Jyväskylä for the recombinant baculovirus. This study was supported by grants from the Guangdong Provincial Department of Science and Technology (2008B030301349), the MOE of China (211 Grant), and the Academy of Finland (decision no. 135820).
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Xie, Q., Michel, P.O., Baldi, L. et al. TubeSpin bioreactor 50 for the high-density cultivation of Sf-9 insect cells in suspension. Biotechnol Lett 33, 897–902 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10529-011-0527-6
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10529-011-0527-6