Chemostat adaptation of Escherichia coli B/r/1 to low water activity |
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Authors: | GD Anagnostopoulos G Dhavises |
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Institution: | Microbiology Department, Queen Elizabeth College, University of London, London W8 7AH, UK;*Biology Department, Kasetsart University, Bangkok 9, Thailand |
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Abstract: | Chemostat cultures of Escherichia coli B/r/1 under conditions of glucose limitation in a salts medium at high water activity ( a w of 0.999) and at an a w of 0.987, controlled by NaCl, have been compared. The system was run at dilution rates above 0.035 h-1. The results suggested that the organism adapted to the lower a w of the medium as no significant change was observed in the energy requirement for maintenance, although the maximum molar growth yield for glucose decreased by 23.2%. Such cultures showed also a shorter lag and a higher growth rate in batch at an a w of 0.987, as compared with cultures initiated with an unadapted ( a w of 0.999) inoculum. |
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