Uptake hydrogenase activity in denitrifying Azospirillum brasilense grown anaerobically with nitrous oxide or nitrate.

zospirillum brasilense Sp7 was grown anaerobically with N2O as the terminal electron acceptor and NH4Cl as the nitrogen source. Hydrogen uptake activity (O2-dependent H3H oxidation) was expressed in the presence and absence of 5% H2; it reached its maximum in late logarithmic phase as the malate became limiting. This activity was very stable in stationary phase, even in the absence of exogenous H2, compared with microaerobically grown cultures; this supports the hypothesis that the exclusion of O2 is critical for maintaining the integrity of the H2 uptake system in this organism. Oxygen, as well as methylene blue and N2O, supported H2 uptake, indicating the presence of electron transport components leading to O2 in anaerobically grown A. brasilense. Nitrite (0.5 mM) inhibited H2 uptake. In cultures grown with NO3- as the terminal electron acceptor and NH4Cl as the nitrogen source, in the presence and absence of exogenous H2, only low H2 uptake activity was observed. Methylene blue, O2, N2O, NO3-, and NO2- were all capable of acting as the electron acceptor for H2 oxidation. Nitrite (0.5 mM) did not inhibit H2 uptake in NO3--grown cells, as it did in N2O-grown cells. A. brasilense appears to be one of the few organisms capable of expressing the H2 uptake system under denitrifying conditions in the absence of molecular H2.     

Ammonia promotes accumulation of intracellular cAMP in differentiating amoebae of Dictyostelium discoideum

We used sporogenous mutants of Dictyostelium discoideum to investigate the mechanism(s) by which exogenous NH4Cl and high ambient pH promote spore formation during in vitro differentiation. The level of NH4Cl required to optimize spore formation is correlated inversely with pH, indicating that NH3 rather than NH4+ is the active species. The spore-promoting activity of high ambient pH (without exogenous NH4Cl) was eliminated by the addition of an NH3-scavenging cocktail, suggesting that high pH promotes spore differentiation by increasing the ratio of NH3:NH4+ secreted into the medium by developing cells. High ammonia levels and high pH stimulated precocious accumulation of intracellular cAMP in both sporogenous and wild-type cells. In both treatments, peak cAMP levels equaled or exceeded control levels and were maintained for longer periods than in control cells. In contrast, ammonia strongly inhibited accumulation of extracellular cAMP without increasing the rate of extracellular cAMP hydrolysis, indicating that ammonia promotes accumulation of intracellular cAMP by inhibiting cAMP secretion. These results are consistent with previous observations that factors that raise intracellular cAMP levels increase spore formation. Lowering intracellular cAMP levels with caffeine or progesterone inhibited spore formation, but simultaneous exposure to these drugs and optimal concentrations of NH4Cl restored both cAMP accumulation and spore formation to normal levels. These data suggest that ammonia, which is a natural Dictyostelium morphogen, favors spore formation by promoting accumulation or maintenance of high intracellular cAMP levels.     

Protection against salt toxicity in Azolla pinnata-Anabaena azollae symbiotic association by using combined-N sources

Protection from salt stress was observed in the terms of yield (fresh and dry weight, chlorophyll and protein) and nitrogenase activity. Azollapinnata appeared highly sensitive to 40 mM external NaCl stress. Fronds of Azolla unable to grow beyond a concentration of 30 mM NaCl and accordingly death was recorded at 40 mM NaCl on the 6th day of incubation. Yield was inhibited by various levels of NaCl (0, 10, 20 and 30 mM). Addition of combined-N to the growth medium protected the association partially from salt toxicity. Among the N-sources (NO3-, NH4+ and urea) tried, urea mitigated the salt-induced toxicity most efficiently. Reduction in nitrogenase activity was observed when intact Azolla was grown in nutrient medium either supplemented with different levels of NaCl or combined nitrogen. Only NO3- (5 mM) protected the enzymatic activity from salt toxicity while other concentrations of ammonium, nitrate and urea slowed down the salt-induced inhibition of enzyme activity in Azolla-Anabaena association. These results suggested that an optimum protection from salt stress could be obtained by using a combination of combined nitrogen sources. The reason for this protection might be due to the availability of combined nitrogen to the association, nitrogen is only available through the biological nitrogen fixation which is the most sensitive to salt stress.     

Control of nitrogenase recovery from oxygen inactivation by ammonia in the cyanobacterium Anabaena sp. strain CA (ATCC 33047).

The control of nitrogenase recovery from inactivation by oxygen was studied in Anabaena sp. strain CA (ATCC 33047). Nitrogenase activity (acetylene reduction) in cultures grown in 1% CO2 in air was inhibited by exposure to 1% CO2-99% O2 and allowed to recover in the presence of high oxygen tensions. Cultures exposed to hyperbaric levels of oxygen in the presence of 10 mM NH4NO3 were incapable of regaining nitrogenase activity, whereas control cultures returned to 65 to 80% of their original activity within about 3 h after exposure to high oxygen tension. In contrast to the regulation of heterocyst differentiation and nitrogenase synthesis, recovery from oxygen inactivation in this organism was shown to be under the control of NH4+ rather than NO3-.     

Regulation of nitrogen fixation in Rhizobium sp.

Regulation of nitrogen fixation by ammonium and glutamate was examined in Rhizobium sp. 32H1 growing in defined liquid media. Whereas nitrogenase synthesis in Klebsiella pneunoniae is normally completely repressed during growth on NH4+, nitrogenase activity was detected in cultures of Rhizobium sp. grown with excess NH4+. However, an "ammonium effect" on activity was invariably observed in cultures grown on NH4+ as sole nitrogen source; the nitrogenase activity was, depending on conditions, 14 to 36% of that of comparable glutamate-grown cultures. Glutamate inhibited utilization of exogenous NH4+ and, in one of two procedures described, glutamate partially alleviated the ammonium effect on nitrogenase activity. NH4+, apparently produced from N2, was excreted into the culture medium when growth was initiated on glutamate, but not when NH4+ was thesole source of fixed nitrogen for growth. These findings are discussed in relation to nitrogen fixation by Rhizobium bacteroids.     

Asparagine metabolism and asparaginase activity in a euryhaline Chlamydomonas species.

A Chlamydomonas species isolated from a marine environment possesses an L-asparaginase, an enzyme not yet reported in the microalgae. This enzyme enabled the organism to grow as well with asparagine as sole nitrogen source as with inorganic nitrogen sources (NO3-, NH4+). Only the amide nitrogen was used for growth since growth did not occur on aspartate and aspartate accumulated in the media when cells were either grown on asparagine or during short-term incubations with L-[U-14C]asparagine. Cells grown on NO3-, NH4+, or L-asparagine in batch culture possessed equivalent asparaginase activities. However, nitrogen-limited cells possessed four times the activity of cells grown with sufficient nitrogen for normal growth, regardless of the possessed the lowest activity per cell, while lag phase and stationary phase cells possessed greater activity. The enzyme behaved like a periplasmic space enzyme since (1) breaking the cells did not release into solution more activity than was shown by whole cells and (2) whole cells converted L-[U-14C]asparagine to [14C]aspartate with little intracellular accumulation of radioactivity. Cell-free preparations of the enzyme possessed a Km value for asparagine of 1.1 x 10-4 M, with no glutaminase activity.     

Intracellular alkalinization leads to Ca2+ mobilization from agonist-sensitive pools in bovine aortic endothelial cells

Receptor-stimulated phosphoinositide turnover leads to activation of Na+/H+ exchange and subsequent intracellular alkalinization. To probe the effect of increased intracellular pH (pHi) on Ca2+ homeostasis in cultured bovine aortic endothelial cells (BAEC), we studied the effect of weak bases, ammonium chloride (NH4Cl) and methylamine (agents which increase pHi by direct passive diffusion), on resting and ATP (purinergic receptor agonist)-induced Ca2+ fluxes. Changes in cytosolic free Ca2+ ([Ca2+]i) or pHi were monitored in BAEC monolayers using the fluorescent dyes, fura-2 or 2',7'-bis(carboxyethyl)-5(6)-carboxyfluorescein, respectively. NH4Cl-induced, dose-dependent (5-20 mM) increases in [Ca2+]i (maximum change = 195 +/- 26 nM) which were temporally similar to the NH4Cl-induced pHi increases. Methylamine (20 mM) induced a more sustained pHi increase and also stimulated a prolonged [Ca2+]i increase. When BAEC were bathed in HCO3- buffer, removal of extracellular CO2/bicarbonate caused pHi to increase and also induced [Ca2+]i to increase transiently. Extracellular Ca2+ removal did not abolish the rapid NH4Cl-induced rise in [Ca2+]i, although the response was blunted and more transient. NH4Cl addition to BAEC cultures resulted in an increase in 45Ca efflux and decrease in total cell 45Ca content. BAEC treatment with ATP (100 microM) to deplete inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (IP3)-sensitive Ca2+ pools completely blocked the NH4Cl (20 mM)-induced rise in [Ca2+]i. Likewise, prior NH4Cl addition partially inhibited ATP-induced increases in [Ca2+]i, as well as slowed the frequency of repetitive [Ca2+]i spikes in single endothelial cells due to agonist. NH4Cl augmented the rate of [Ca2+]i increase that occurs in response to the depletion of agonist-sensitive intracellular Ca2+ pools. However, the internal Ca2+ store remained depleted during the continued presence of NH4Cl, as indicated by a decreased [Ca2+]i response to ATP in Ca2(+)-free medium. Finally, NH4Cl exerted these actions without affecting basal or ATP-stimulated IP3 formation. These observations provide direct evidence that increased pHi leads to Ca2+ mobilization from an agonist-sensitive pool and impairs Ca2+ pool(s) refilling mechanisms without altering cellular IP3 levels.     

Effect of carbon and nitrogen sources on growth dynamics and exopolysaccharide production for the hyperthermophilic archaeon Thermococcus litoralis and bacterium Thermotoga maritima

Batch and continuous cultures were used to compare specific physiological features of the hyperthermophilic archaeon, Thermococcus litoralis (T(opt) of 85 degrees to 88 degrees C), to another fermentative hyperthermophile that reduces S degrees facultatively, that is, the bacterium Thermotoga maritima (T(opt) of 80 degrees to 85 degrees C). Under nutritionally optimal conditions, these two hyperthermophiles had similar growth yields on maltose and similar cell formula weights based on elemental analysis: CH(1.7)O(0. 7)N(0.2)S(0.006) for T. litoralis and CH(1.6)O(0.6)N(0.2)S(0.005) for T. maritima. However, they differed with respect to nitrogen source, fermentation product patterns, and propensity to form exopolysaccharides (EPS). T. litoralis could be cultured in the absence or presence of maltose on an amino acid-containing defined medium in which amino acids served as the sole nitrogen source. T. maritima, on the other hand, did not utilize amino acids as carbon, energy, or nitrogen sources, and could be grown in a similar defined medium only when supplemented with maltose and ammonium chloride. Not only was T. litoralis unable to utilize NH(4)Cl as a nitrogen source, its growth was inhibited at certain levels. At 1 g/L ( approximately 20 mM) NH(4)Cl, the maximum growth yield (Y(x/s(max))) for T. litoralis was reduced to 13 g cells dry weight (CDW)/mol glucose from 40 g CDW/mol glucose in media lacking NH(4)Cl. Alanine production increased with increasing NH(4)Cl concentrations and was most pronounced if growth on NH(4)Cl was carried out in an 80% H(2) atmosphere. In T. maritima cultures, which would not grow in an 80% H(2) atmosphere, alanine and EPS were produced at much lower levels, which did not change with NH(4)Cl concentration. EPS production rose sharply at high dilution rates for both organisms, such that maltose utilization plots were biphasic. Wall growth effects were also noted, because cultures failed to wash out at dilution rates significantly above maximum growth rates determined from batch growth experiments. This study illustrates the importance of effective cultivation methods for addressing physiological issues related to the growth of hyperthermophilic heterotrophs.     

Nickel requirement for the formation of active urease in purple sulfur bacteria (Chromatiaceae)

Nickel was found to be required for expression of urease activity in batch cultures of Thiocapsa roseopersicina strain 6311, Chromatium vinosum strain 1611 and Thiocystis violacea strain 2311, grown photolithotrophically with NH₄Cl as nitrogen source. In a growth medium originally free of added nickel and EDTA, the addition of 0.1–10 M nickel chloride caused an increase in urease activity, while addition of EDTA (0.01–2 mM) caused a strong reduction. Variation of the nitrogen source had no pronounced influence on the level of urease activity in T. roseopersicina grown with 0.1 M nickel in the absence of EDTA. Only nickel, of several heavy metal ions tested, could reverse suppression of urease activity by EDTA. Nickel, however, did not stimulate and EDTA did not inhibit the enzyme in vitro. When nickel was added to cultures already growing in a nickel-deficient, EDTA-containing medium, urease activity showed a rapid increase which was not inhibited by chloramphenicol. It is concluded that the (inactive) urease apoprotein may be synthesized in the absence of nickel and can be activated in vivo without de novo protein synthesis by insertion of nickel into the pre-formed enzyme protein.     

Role of intracellular pH in secretion from adrenal medulla chromaffin cells

The role of intracellular pH in stimulus-secretion coupling was investigated in cultured bovine adrenal medullary chromaffin cells. NH4Cl (1-25 mM) did not affect basal catecholamine or ATP release but markedly inhibited nicotine- or high K+-induced release by up to 60%. The inhibition had a rapid onset (less than 1 min) and was maximal at about 5 mM NH4Cl. The effect of NH4Cl was largely sustained over 20 min and was reversed upon NH4Cl removal. Sodium propionate did not affect secretion but partially reversed the inhibition by NH4Cl in a concentration-dependent manner. Methylamine (10 mM) produced a similar, but slower, inhibition than NH4Cl. Monensin (1-10 microM) inhibited catecholamine secretion by 30-60%, and its effect was reduced in the presence of NH4Cl. Using the fluorescent Ca2+ probe Fura-2, we found that the increase of [Ca2+]i following stimulation was not altered by concentrations of NH4Cl which inhibited secretion maximally. Measurement of cytosolic pH (pHi) with the fluorescent probe 2',7'-bis-carboxyethyl-5(6)-carboxyfluorescein (BCECF) revealed an alkalinization by NH4Cl (2.5-25 mM) of 0.1-0.23 pH units and acidification by sodium propionate (10-20 mM) of 0.2-0.25 pH units, with intermediate combined effects. Monensin (1 microM) caused a cytosolic acidification of 0.26 pH units. All pHi changes were partly recovered in 15 min. Fluorescence quenching measurements using the weakly basic fluorescent probe acridine orange indicated the accumulation of the probe into acidic compartments, presumably the chromaffin granules, which was strongly reduced by both NH4Cl and monensin. From these findings we conclude that the pH of the chromaffin granule modulates secretion by affecting some step in the secretory process unrelated to the rise in [Ca2+]i.     

Inhibition of lysosomal protein degradation inhibits the basal degradation of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase

The effect of inhibiting lysosomal protein degradation on the activity of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase was determined using a mouse mammary cell line (TS-85) which expresses a temperature-sensitive mutation in the ubiquitin degradative pathway. Incubating cells for 18 hr in medium containing 20 mM NH4Cl did not alter total protein synthesis or cell growth, but it did inhibit the rate of total protein degradation by 19%, which is consistent with the known inhibitory effect of NH4Cl on lysosomal protein degradation. NH4Cl treatment also resulted in an increase (81% +/- 20) in HMG-CoA reductase activity. The increase in reductase activity was not correlated with changes in the phosphorylation state of the enzyme or with alteration in the relative rate of reductase synthesis. However, the basal degradation rate of the reductase was significantly inhibited, and after NH4Cl treatment, the half-life of the enzyme increased from 4.0 +/- 0.4 hr to 8.3 +/- 0.8 hr. The change in the rate of reductase degradation can account completely for the increase in reductase activity observed in NH4Cl-treated cells. The accelerated degradation of HMG-CoA reductase induced by 25-hydroxycholesterol treatment was not affected by either NH4Cl or by inactivation of the ubiquitin degradative pathway. Therefore, two different mechanisms may be responsible for the accelerated degradation and basal degradation of HMG-CoA reductase. The latter can be inhibited by NH4Cl and may imply that under basal conditions the enzyme may be degraded in lysosomes.     

Effect of nitrogen source on biomass and bioactive compound production in submerged cultures of Eleutherococcus koreanum Nakai adventitious roots

Ammonium to nitrate ratios of 0:30, 5:25, 10:20, 15:15, 20:10, 25:5, and 30:0 mM were tested to determine the optimal NH(4)(+) :NO(3)(-) ratio for improving biomass and bioactive compound production in Eleutherococcus koreanum Nakai adventitious roots using 3-L bulb-type bubble bioreactors. A high ammonium nitrogen ratio had a negative effect on root growth, and the highest fresh and dry weights were obtained when NH(4)(+):NO(3)(-) ratios were 5:25 and 10:20 (mM) after 5 weeks of culture. Although the total production of eleutherosides B and E was slightly higher at the 10:20 ratio than at the 5:25 ratio (NH(4)(+):NO(3)(-)), we proposed that the optimal NH(4)(+):NO(3)(-) ratio was 5:25 mM. This ratio achieved both the highest total production of five target bioactive compounds (eleutherosides B and E, chlorogenic acid, total phenolics, and flavonoids) and the highest root biomass. Furthermore, increasing NH(4)(+):NO(3)(-) ratios to 10:20 decreased pH in the medium, interrupted the absorption of essential minerals from the culture medium, and resulted in low biomass and increased relative oxidative stress levels, which were evaluated by determining 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging activity. Therefore, nitrate rather than ammonium nitrogen was more essential not for only biomass production but also for bioactive compound production in E. koreanum adventitious root cultures. The optimal nitrogen source ratio produced 5.63 g L(-1) of biomass and 24.41 mg of the five total bioactive compounds per gram of biomass (dry weight basis). The development of such in vitro culture technology will benefit the pilot-scale production of E. koreanum-based bioactive compounds for commercialization.     

Factors affecting vesicle formation and acetylene reduction (nitrogenase activity) in Frankia sp. CpI1

Vesicle formation and acetylene reduction (nitrogenase activity) were observed when washed hyphae from cultures of Frankia sp. CpI1 were transferred to a nitrogen-free medium containing ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid and succinate. Succinate could be replaced by malate or fumarate, but not other carbon sources. Maximum acetylene reduction and vesicle numbers were observed at a pH of 6.0-6.5, at 25-30 degrees Centigrade, and at atmos pheric Po2 or somewhat less (5-20 kPa). Addition of 1 mM NH4Cl almost completely inhibited vesicle formation and acetylene-reducing activity, but did not immediately inhibit such reducing activity by cultures with preexisting vesicles. Acetylene-reducing activity was never observed in the absence of vesicle formation.     

Overproduction of lignin peroxidase by Phanerochaete chrysosporium (BKM-F-1767) under nonlimiting nutrient conditions.

The ligninolytic enzymes synthesized by Phanerochaete chrysosporium BKM-F-1767 immobilized on polyurethane foam were characterized under limiting, sufficient, and excess nutrient conditions. The fungus was grown in a nonimmersed liquid culture system under conditions close to those occurring in nature, with nitrogen concentrations ranging from 2.4 to 60 mM. This nonimmersed liquid culture system consisted of fungal mycelium immobilized on porous pieces of polyurethane foam saturated with liquid medium and highly exposed to gaseous oxygen. Lignin peroxidase (LIP) activity decreased to almost undetectable levels as the initial NH4+ levels were increased over the range from 2.4 to 14 mM and then increased with additional increases in initial NH4+ concentration. At 45 mM NH4+, LIP was overproduced, reaching levels of 800 U/liter. In addition, almost simultaneous secretion of LIP and secretion of manganese-dependent lignin peroxidase were observed on the third day of incubation. Manganese-dependent lignin peroxidase activity was maximal under nitrogen limitation conditions (2.4 mM NH4+) and then decreased to 40 to 50% of the maximal level in the presence of sufficient or excess initial NH4+ concentrations. Overproduction of LIP in the presence of a sufficient nitrogen level (24 mM NH4+) and excess nitrogen levels (45 to 60 mM NH4+) seemed to occur as a response to carbon starvation after rapid glucose depletion. The NH4+ in the extracellular fluid reappeared as soon as glucose was depleted, and an almost complete loss of CO2 was observed, suggesting that an alternative energy source was generated by self-proteolysis of cell proteins.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Ammonia-Induced Release of Neurotransmitters from Rat Brain Synaptosomes: Differences Between the Effects on Amines and Amino Acids

The effect of NH4Cl on release of amine and amino acid transmitters from rat brain synaptosomes was investigated. Ammonia (0.1-10 mM) stimulated the secretion of dopamine and 5-hydroxytryptamine in a dose-dependent manner, in a process which was additive with the effect of 40 mM K+, almost unaffected by withdrawal of Ca2+, and markedly decreased by increasing [H+] in the medium. The NH4Cl-induced dopamine efflux, in contrast to that caused by high [K+]e, was inhibited by benztropine. The release of gamma-aminobutyric acid, aspartate, and glutamate was unaltered by [NH4Cl] less than 5 mM, but somewhat stimulated at higher levels. Transmembrane pH gradient, acid inside, was dissipated by NH4Cl in a concentration-dependent manner and the internal alkalinization correlated with the stimulation of the rate of dopamine efflux. Transmembrane electrical potential was unaffected by [ammonia] less than 5 mM, but a small depolarization was observed at higher levels. It is postulated that ammonia-induced alkalinization of the intrasynaptic storage granules causes extrusion of amines into the cytoplasm and their subsequent leakage into the medium through a reversal of the plasma membrane transporters. A lack of correlation between the release of amino acid neurotransmitters and the dissipation of the delta pH suggests that in rat brain intrasynaptic vesicles, acidic inside, are unlikely to store substantial amounts of gamma-aminobutyric acid, aspartate, or glutamate.     

A possible role of cytokinin in mediating long-distance nitrogen signaling in the promotion of sylleptic branching in hybrid poplar

Nitrogen fertilization of roots enhances shoot growth in plants and cytokinins are known to initiate bud outgrowth in shoots. Is it possible that root-derived cytokinins may play a role in long-distance signaling for nitrogen availability in the promotion of sylleptic branching in hybrid poplar? Nitrogen fertilization in the form of 5 mM NH4NO3, KNO3 or NH4Cl was applied to roots of three hybrid poplar clones exhibiting contrasting degrees of sylleptic branching. Cytokinin (0.1-1 mM benzyladenine, BA) was applied directly to lateral buds of shoots. Glutamate, asparagine and glutamine were also applied as drops to buds or as foliar sprays. NH4NO3, KNO3 and NH4Cl all usually enhanced sylleptic branching within a week in the high sylleptic clone (11-11) but in four out of five trials there was no effect in the low sylleptic clone (47-174). NH4NO3 added directly to buds had no effect. Also, glutamate, asparagine and glutamine had no effect. However, 1 mM BA promoted lateral bud outgrowth in all three clones. These results are consistent with the long-distance nitrogen signaling hypothesis of Forde and Sakakibara wherein nitrogen is transduced to cytokinin via enhanced ipt activity in the roots and is translocated up the shoot with the subsequent promotion of leaf/bud outgrowth.     

Ammonium ion and glucosamine dependent increases of oligosaccharide complexity in recombinant glycoproteins secreted from cultivated BHK-21 cells

The effect of different ammonium concentrations and glucosamine on baby hamster kidney (BHK)-21 cell cultures grown in continuously perfused double membrane bioreactors was investigated with respect to the final carbohydrate structures of a secretory recombinant glycoprotein. The human interleukin-2 (IL-2) mutant glycoprotein variant IL-Mu6, which bears a novel N-glycosylation site (created by a single amino acid exchange of Gln100 to Asn), was produced under different defined protein-free culture conditions in the presence or absence of either glutamine, NH4Cl, or glucosamine. Recombinant glycoprotein products were purified and characterized by amino acid sequencing and carbohydrate structural analysis using matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time of flight mass spectrometry, high-pH anion-exchange chromatography with pulsed amperometric detection, and methylation analysis. In the absence of glutamine, cells secreted glycoprotein forms with preponderantly biantennary, proximal fucosylated carbohydrate chains (85%) with a higher NeuAc content (58%). Under standard conditions in the presence of 7.5 mM glutamine, complex-type N-glycans were found to be mainly biantennary (68%) and triantennary structures (33%) with about 50% containing proximal alpha1-6-linked fucose; 37% of the antenna were found to be substituted with terminal alpha2-3-linked N-acetylneuraminic acid. In the presence of 15 mM exogenously added NH4Cl, a significant and reproducible increase in tri- and tetraantennary oligosaccharides (45% of total) was detected in the secretion product. In glutamin-free cultures supplemented with glucosamine, an intermediate amount of high antennary glycans was detected. The increase in complexity of N-linked oligosaccharides is considered to be brought about by the increased levels of intracellular uridine diphosphate-GlcNAc/GalNAc. These nucleotide sugar pools were found to be significantly elevated in the presence of high NH3/NH4+ and glucosamine concentrations.     

主要营养成分对悬浮培养玫瑰茄细胞生长和花青素合成的影响

本文研究了培养基中碳源和氮源变化对悬浮培养玫瑰茄细胞生长和花青素合成的影响。在８种不同的碳源中,麦芽糖有利于花青素的积累,而蔗糖和葡萄糖适合细胞生长,并有较高的花青素产率。在１％～１０％蔗糖浓度范围内,４％浓度下细胞生长和花青素产率最高,而６％浓度下细胞花青素含量最高,高渗环境较有利于细胞花青素的积累。１３５ｍＭ的氮源总量已足够维持玫瑰茄细胞生长和花青素合成,氮源总量增加对细胞代谢有抑制作用。ＮＨ＋４对细胞有显著抑制作用。总量１３５ｍＭ,ＮＯ－３与ＮＨ＋４比例２５∶２和２３∶４时细胞生长和花青素合成最佳。     

The presence of ADP-ribosylated Fe protein of nitrogenase in Rhodobacter capsulatus is correlated with cellular nitrogen status

The photosynthetic bacterium Rhodobacter capsulatus has been shown to regulate its nitrogenase by covalent modification via the reversible ADP-ribosylation of Fe protein in response to darkness or the addition of external NH4+. Here we demonstrate the presence of ADP-ribosylated Fe protein under a variety of steady-state growth conditions. We examined the modification of Fe protein and nitrogenase activity under three different growth conditions that establish different levels of cellular nitrogen: batch growth with limiting NH4+, where the nitrogen status is externally controlled; batch growth on relatively poor nitrogen sources, where the nitrogen status is internally controlled by assimilatory processes; and continuous culture. When cultures were grown to stationary phase with different limiting concentrations of NH4+, the ADP-ribosylation state of Fe protein was found to correlate with cellular nitrogen status. Additionally, actively growing cultures (grown with N2 or glutamate), which had an intermediate cellular nitrogen status, contained a portion of their Fe protein in the modified state. The correlation between cellular nitrogen status and ADP-ribosylation state was corroborated with continuous cultures grown under various degrees of nitrogen limitation. These results show that in R. capsulatus the modification system that ADP-ribosylates nitrogenase in the short term in response to abrupt changes in the environment is also capable of modifying nitrogenase in accordance with long-term cellular conditions.     

Accumulation of poly[(R)-3-hydroxyalkanoates] in Pseudomonas oleovorans during growth in batch and chemostat culture with different carbon sources

Pseudomonas oleovorans (ATCC 29347) was grown in batch and chemostat cultures with citrate, hexanoate, heptanoate, octanoate, and nonanoate as single carbon substrates. The growth medium for batch cultures was adjusted such that nitrogen (NH(4)(+)) limitation terminated the exponential-growth phase. During batch cultivation with octanoate or nonanoate the biomass continued to increase after depletion of ammonium due to the accumulation of medium-chain-length poly[(R)-3-hydroxyalkanoates] (mcl-PHAs). Additionally, a significant rate of mcl-PHA accumulation was also observed in the exponential-growth phase of batch cultures. It is well known that the accumulation of reserve materials is strongly dependent on the ratio of nutrients (here of carbon, C, and of nitrogen, N) and that in a batch culture the ratio of C:N is continuously changing. Therefore, we have also investigated the effect of defined ratios of C:N under constant cultivation conditions, namely at a fixed dilution rate (D) in a chemostat fed with different medium C:N ratios. These experiments were performed at a constant D of 0.2 h(-1). The concentration of the nitrogen source in the inflowing medium (N()) was kept constant, while its carbon concentration (C()) was increased stepwise, resulting in an increase of the medium carbon to nitrogen ratio (C()/N() ratio). The culture parameters and the cell composition of steady-state cultures were determined as a function of the C()/N() ratio in the feed medium. Mcl-PHA accumulation was detected during growth with the fatty acids, and three distinct regimes of growth limitation were discovered: In addition to carbon limitation at low, and nitrogen limitation at high C()/N() ratios, an intermediate growth regime of simultaneous limitation by carbon and nitrogen was detected where both substrates were used to completion. The width of this dual-nutrient-limited growth regime was dependent on the change in the yield factors for carbon and nitrogen (Y(X/C), Y(X/N)) measured during single-nutrient-limited growth.