Observations of aerobic, growing escherichia coli metabolism using an on-line nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy system

An experimental system has been constructed which enables on-line measurements of phosphorus-31 ((31)P) nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectra for growing bacterial suspensions under anaerobic or aerobic conditions. A sample stream from a laboratory bioreactor is circulated to the NMR sample chamber in a gas exchange system which permits maintenance of aerobic conditions for high-cell-density cultures. (31)P NMR spectra with resolution comparable with those obtained traditionally using dense, concentrated, nongrowing cell suspensions can be obtained at cell densities above 25 g/L with acquisition times ranging from 14 to 3 minutes which decline as cell density increases. This system has been employed to characterize the changes in intracellular state of a stationary phase culture which is subjected to a transition from aerobic to anaerobic conditions. Both intracellular NTP level and cytoplasmic pH are substantially lower under anaerobic conditions. Also, the system has been employed to observe the response of a growing culture to external addition of acetate. Cells are able to maintain pH difference across the cytoplasmic membrane at extracellular acetate concentrations of 5 and 10 g/L. However, acetate concentrations of 20 g/L cause collapse of the transmembrane DeltapH and sharp reduction of the growth rate of the culture. The experimental configuration described should also permit NMR observations of many other types of microbial cultures and of other nuclei. (c) 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

In vivo31P and 13C NMR investigations of Rhodococcus rhodochrous metabolism and behaviour during biotransformation processes

Aims: The strain Rhodococcus rhodochrous OBT18 was isolated from a water treatment plant used to decontaminate industrial effluents containing benzothiazole derivatives. Aims of the work are to study the central metabolism of this strain and more specifically its behaviour during biodegradation of 2‐aminobenzothiazole. Methods and Results: In vivo ¹³C and ³¹P NMR experiments showed that this strain contains storage compounds such as polyphosphates, glycogen and trehalose and produces biosurfactants containing trehalose as sugar unit. Trehalose can be synthesized after reversion of the glycolytic pathway. In vivo³¹P NMR experiments showed that energy metabolism markers such as the intracellular pH and the ATP concentration did not change during biotransformation processes when R. rhodochrous was exposed to potentially toxic compounds including iron complexes and ^? OH radicals. Also R. rhodochrous recovers the normal values of ATP and pH after anoxia/reoxygenation cycle very quickly. Conclusions: Rhodococcus rhodochrous carbon and energy metabolism is well adapted to different stresses and consequently to live in the environment where conditions are constantly changing. Significance and Impact of the Study: The results of this study can be used to understand the behaviour of this bacterium in natural environments but also in water treatment plants where iron and UV light are present.     

Changes in organic solutes,volume, energy state,and metabolism associated with osmotic stress in a glial cell line: A multinuclear NMR study

Diffusion-weighted in vivo¹H-NMR spectroscopy of F98 glioma cells embedded in basement membrane gel threads showed that the initial cell swelling to about 180% of the original volume induced under hypotonic stress was followed by a regulatory volume decrease to nearly 100% of the control volume in Dulbecco's modified Eagle's medium (DMEM) but only to 130% in Krebs-Henseleit buffer (KHB, containing only glucose as a substrate) after 7 h. The initial cell shrinkage to approx. 70% induced by the hypertonic stress was compensated by a regulatory volume increase which after 7 h reached almost 100% of the control value in KHB and 75% in DMEM.¹H-,¹³C-and³¹P-NMR spectroscopy of perchloric acid extracts showed that these volume regulatory processes were accompanied by pronounced changes in the content of organic osmolytes. Adaptation of intra- to extracellular osmolarity was preferentially mediated by a decrease in the cytosolic taurine level under hypotonic stress and by an intracellular accumulation of amino acids under hypertonic stress. If these solutes were not available in sufficient quantities (as in KHB), the osmolarity of the cytosol was increasingly modified by biosynthesis of products and intermediates of essential metabolic pathways, such as alanine, glutamate and glycerophosphocholine in addition to ethanolamine. The cellular nucleoside triphosphate level measured by in vivo³¹P-NMR spectroscopy indicated that the energy state of the cells was more easily sustained under hypotonic than hypertonic conditions.To whom to address reprint requests.     

Phosphorus-31 Transverse Relaxation Rate Measurements by NMR Spectroscopy: Insight into Conformational Exchange Along the Nucleic Acid Backbone

Phosphorus ((31)P) NMR spectroscopy can provide important information about the dynamics of nucleic acids. In this communication, we propose an inversely detected (31)P transverse relaxation rate ( R (2)) measurement experiment. This experiment enables fast measurement of accurate (31)P transverse relaxation rates and provides the possibility to detect slow motions mapped by the phosphorus nuclei along the nucleic acid backbone. Dispersion curves show some (31)P nuclei experiencing chemical exchange in the millisecond time scale. Under the assumption of a two-state exchange process, the reduced lifetimes of the exchanging sites (tau(ex)) obtained are in accordance with base pair lifetime estimates deduced from imino proton exchange measurements.     

Studies of metabolic control using NMR and molecular genetics

The techniques of NMR spectroscopy and molecular genetics have provided new and powerful approaches to studying the control and organisation of cellular metabolism in vivo. We review here our recent applications of these methodologies to the study of energy metabolism in yeast and mammalian cells. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

1H NMR methods for the noninvasive study of metabolism and other processes involving small molecules in intact erythrocytes

1H NMR methods are described with which resolved resonances can be obtained for many of the small molecules in intact erythrocytes. In one method, the more intense hemoglobin resonances are suppressed by transfer of saturation throughout the hemoglobin spin system by cross relaxation following a selective saturation pulse. In a second method, the hemoglobin resonances are eliminated with the spin-echo pulse sequence by using a between-pulse delay time long enough for complete elimination of the hemoglobin resonances by spin-spin relaxation. Selected examples of the study of erythrocyte biochemistry by 1H NMR are discussed.     

Brain pyruvate recycling and peripheral metabolism: an NMR analysis ex vivo of acetate and glucose metabolism in the rat

The occurrence of pyruvate recycling in the rat brain was studied in either pentobarbital anesthetized animals or awake animals receiving a light analgesic dose of morphine, which were infused with either [1-13C]glucose + acetate or glucose + [2-13C]acetate for various periods of time. Metabolite enrichments in the brain, blood and the liver were determined from NMR analyses of tissue extracts. They indicated that: (i) Pyruvate recycling was revealed in the brain of both the anesthetized and awake animals, as well as from lactate and alanine enrichments as from glutamate isotopomer composition, but only after infusion of glucose + [2-13C]acetate. (ii) Brain glucose was labelled from [2-13C]acetate at the same level in anaesthetized and awake rats (approximately 4%). Comparing its enrichment with that of blood and liver glucose indicated that brain glucose labelling resulted from hepatic gluconeogenesis. (iii) Analysing glucose 13C-13C coupling in the brain, blood and the liver confirmed that brain glucose could be labelled in the liver through the activities of both pyruvate recycling and gluconeogenesis. (iv) The rate of appearance and the amount of brain glutamate C4-C5 coupling, a marker of pyruvate recycling when starting from [2-13C]acetate, were lower than those of brain glucose labelling from hepatic metabolism. (v) The evaluation of the contributions of glucose and acetate to glutamate metabolism revealed that more than 60% of brain glutamate was synthesized from glucose whereas only 7% was from acetate and that glutamate C4-C5 coupling was mainly due to the metabolism of glucose labelled through hepatic gluconeogenesis. All these results indicate that, under the present conditions, the pyruvate recycling observed through the labelling of brain metabolites mainly originates from peripheral metabolism.     

Development of a small-scale bioreactor: application to in vivo NMR measurement

A perfused bioreactor allowing in vivo NMR measurement was developed and validated for Eschscholtzia californica cells. The bioreactor was made of a 10-mm NMR tube. NMR measurement of the signal-to-noise ratio was optimized using a sedimented compact bed of cells that were retained in the bioreactor by a supporting filter. Liquid medium flow through the cell bed was characterized from a mass balance on oxygen and a dispersive hydrodynamic model. Cell bed oxygen demand for 4 h perfusion required a minimal medium flow rate of 0.8 mL/min. Residence time distribution assays at 0.8-2.6 mL/min suggest that the cells are subjected to a uniform nutrient environment along the cell bed. Cell integrity was maintained for all culture conditions since the release of intracellular esterases was not significant even after 4 h of perfusion. In vivo NMR was performed for (31)P NMR and the spectrum can be recorded after only 10 min of spectral accumulation (500 scans) with peaks identified as G-6P, F-6P, cytoplasmic Pi, vacuolar Pi, ATP(gamma) and ADP(beta), ATP(alpha) and ADP(alpha), NADP and NDPG, NDPG and ATP(beta). Cell viability was shown to be maintained as (31)P chemical shifts were constant with time for all the identified nuclei, thus suggesting constant intracellular pH.     

Two internal pools of soluble polyphosphate in the cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. strain PCC 6308: an in vivo 31P NMR spectroscopic study

Two intracellular pools of soluble polyphosphate were identified by in vivo ³¹P NMR spectroscopy in the cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. strain PCC 6308. Polyphosphate was present in the cells after growth in sulfur-limited media containing excess phosphate. The presence of polyphosphate was confirmed by transmission electron microscopy and chemical analysis. ³¹P NMR spectroscopy of whole cells treated with EDTA revealed two pools of mobile polyphosphate. A downfield shift and narrowing of part of the broad polyphosphate resonance was observed after EDTA treatment, suggesting that EDTA binds metal ions normally associated with some of the polyphosphate. Phosphate, but not polyphosphate, leaked out of the cells after this treatment. Addition of magnesium ions caused the downfield shift in the polyphosphate resonance to move back toward its original value. These data show that only part of the cation-complexed polyphosphate is accessible to the added EDTA and suggest that there are two internal fractions of NMR-visible polyphosphate in the cells, only one of which loses its associated cations to EDTA. Spheroplast formation showed that polyphosphate was not present in the periplasm of the cells. Received: 3 July 1997 / Accepted: 26 September 1997     

The host plant Pinus pinaster exerts specific effects on phosphate efflux and polyphosphate metabolism of the ectomycorrhizal fungus Hebeloma cylindrosporum: a radiotracer,cytological staining and 31P NMR spectroscopy study

Ectomycorrhizal (ECM) association can improve plant phosphorus (P) nutrition. Polyphosphates (polyP) synthesized in distant fungal cells after P uptake may contribute to P supply from the fungus to the host plant if they are hydrolyzed to phosphate in ECM roots then transferred to the host plant when required. In this study, we addressed this hypothesis for the ECM fungus Hebeloma cylindrosporum grown in vitro and incubated without plant or with host (Pinus pinaster) and non‐host (Zea mays) plants, using an experimental system simulating the symbiotic interface. We used ³²P labelling to quantify P accumulation and P efflux and in vivo and in vitro nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and cytological staining to follow the fate of fungal polyP. Phosphate supply triggered a massive P accumulation as newly synthesized long‐chain polyP in H. cylindrosporum if previously grown under P‐deficient conditions. P efflux from H. cylindrosporum towards the roots was stimulated by both host and non‐host plants. However, the host plant enhanced ³²P release compared with the non‐host plant and specifically increased the proportion of short‐chain polyP in the interacting mycelia. These results support the existence of specific host plant effects on fungal P metabolism able to provide P in the apoplast of ectomycorrhizal roots.     

Ex vivo biofilm-forming ability of dermatophytes using dog and cat hair: an ethically viable approach for an infection model

The aim of this study was to establish an ex vivo model for dermatophyte biofilm growth, using hair from dogs and cats. Strains of Microsporum canis, M. gypseum, Trichophyton mentagrophytes and T. tonsurans were assessed for in vitro and ex vivo biofilm production. All T. mentagrophytes and T. tonsurans isolates and 8/12?M. canis and 1/7?M. gypseum isolates formed biofilms in vitro, while all tested isolates presented biofilm growth on ex vivo models. T. mentagrophytes and M. canis formed more homogeneous and better-structured biofilms with greater biomass production on cat hair but T. tonsurans formed more biofilm on dog hair. Confocal and scanning electron microscopy demonstrated fungal hyphae colonizing and perforating the hair shaft, abundant fungal conidia, biofilm extracellular matrix and biofilm water channels. The present study demonstrated an ex vivo model for the performance of studies on biofilm formation by dermatophytes, using dog and cat hair.     

Stereoselective metabolism of the herbicide fluroxypyr methylheptyl ester in rabbits

We investigated the stereoselective degradation kinetics of fluroxypyr methylheptyl ester (FPMH) in rabbits using a chiral high-performance liquid chromatographic method. In 20% rabbit plasma, the half lives of (+)-FPMH and (-)-FPMH were 2.5 and 10.9 min, respectively. Thus, the enantioselective degradation was faster for (+)-FPMH than for (-)-FPMH in rabbit plasma in vitro, and there was no chiral conversion or transformation during incubation of the plasma. The degradation of (+)-FPMH was also much faster than that of the (-)-FPMH in the kidney, lung, and muscle after the intravenous administration of 50 mg/kg racemic FPMH (rac-FPMH), whereas the concentrations of FPMH were below the limit of quantification in other tissues. Furthermore, 98% rac-FPMH was quickly (within 10 min) hydrolyzed to fluroxypyr (FP) in rabbit liver microsomes. Therefore, we examined FP in rabbit plasma and tissues in vivo. We detected FP in all tissues; its concentration was higher in the urine than in the other tissues. FP was rapidly excreted unchanged, principally in the urine. The data presented here are important for a more thorough understanding of this pesticide and should be useful for its full environmental assessment.     

Thermal and NMR studies of chick embryo lecithins

Proton magnetic resonance and differential scanning calorimetry have been used to investigate model membranes composed of known molecular species of lecithins from liver, lung and brain of 19-day chick embryos.Above the chain-melting temperature the three systems studied show a similar behaviour, with the T₁ increasing with temperature and giving a similar activation energy in each case. Throughout the temperature range analyzed only a single T₁ is observed. These T₁ values can be interpreted in terms of the chemical composition of molecular species of lecithins.Calorimetric techniques show different behaviour in the three models. Thermodynamic parameters of the gel-to-liquid transition are calculated and interpreted in terms of the molecular species of lecithins.     

用于活体成像的小鼠肺癌移植瘤模型的建立

本研究旨在建立可用于活体成像的小鼠肺癌移植瘤模型。利用脂质体将荧光素酶表达载体pGL4.17(luc2/neo)转染至人非小细胞肺癌细胞株A549,经G418筛选获得稳定表达荧光素酶的细胞克隆。根据体外生物发光情况及细胞的生长特性,从中挑选合适克隆,进行裸鼠皮下接种,SCID鼠尾静脉接种,建立肺癌移植瘤模型。利用活体成像系统监测肿瘤的生长转移情况,并用切片HE染色进一步验证小鼠模型移植瘤的原位成瘤和转移能力。实验结果表明:本研究成功地构建了可用于活体成像的小鼠肺癌移植瘤模型,模型稳定可靠、直观、灵敏,为肿瘤生长转移机制的研究及抗肿瘤药物的研发提供了重要工具。     

Locust flight metabolism studied in vivo by 31P NMR spectroscopy

Flight metabolism of locusts has been extensively studied, but biochemical and physiological methods have led to conflicting results. For this reason the non-invasive and non-destructive method of ³¹P NMR spectroscopy was used to study migratory locusts, Locusta migratoria, at rest and during flight.

Overview on sugar metabolism and its control in Lactococcus lactis - the input from in vivo NMR

The wide application of lactic acid bacteria in the production of fermented foods depends to a great extent on the unique features of sugar metabolism in these organisms. The relative metabolic simplicity and the availability of genetic tools made Lactococcus lactis the organism of choice to gain insight into metabolic and regulatory networks. In vivo nuclear magnetic resonance has proven a very useful technique to monitor non-invasively the dynamics of intracellular metabolite and co-factor pools following a glucose pulse. Examples of the application of this methodology to identify metabolic bottlenecks and regulatory sites are presented. The use of this information to direct metabolic engineering strategies is illustrated.     

几种椎间盘退变动物模型的建立和应用

椎间盘退变是一种年龄相关的退行性疾病,是引起下腰痛的主要因素,严重影响病人的生活质量,并显著增加家庭的经济负担。目前,缺少椎间盘退变的有效干预和治疗手段,部分原因是其发病机制尚未阐明。椎间盘退变动物模型的构建对于阐明该疾病的病理机制至关重要。椎间盘退变是一个复杂的过程,受机械应力、结构损伤、生物化学与基因表达等多种因素的影响。本文总结了应用异常机械应力、结构损伤、生物化学或化学诱导和基因敲除等方式构建的椎间盘退变动物模型。生物力学是维持椎间盘稳态的重要因素,异常的机械应力会导致椎间盘退变。同时,椎间盘退变常伴随结构性损伤,椎间盘结构破坏也会导致椎间盘发生退变。此外,生物化学或化学诱导和关键基因敲除也会导致椎间盘退变。本文按照造成异常机械应力的因素将机械应力模型分为加压模型和失稳模型;按照椎间盘结构将结构损伤模型分为髓核与纤维环损伤模型和软骨终板损伤模型。总结了生物化学或化学诱导模型以及新型的基因敲除模型。讨论了不同类型椎间盘退变动物模型的可能应用和局限性。     

Transport and compartmentation of phosphite in higher plant cells--kinetic and P nuclear magnetic resonance studies

Phosphite (Phi, H(2)PO(3)(-)), being the active part of several fungicides, has been shown to influence not only the fungal metabolism but also the development of phosphate-deficient plants. However, the mechanism of phosphite effects on plants is still widely unknown. In this paper we analysed uptake, subcellular distribution and metabolic effects of Phi in tobacco BY-2 cells using in vivo(31)P nuclear magnetic resonance ((31)P-NMR) spectroscopy. Based on the kinetic properties of the phosphate transport system of tobacco BY-2 cells, it was demonstrated that phosphite inhibited phosphate uptake in a competitive manner. To directly follow the fate of phosphate and phosphite in cytoplasmic and vacuolar pools of tobacco cells, we took advantage of the pH-sensitive chemical shift of the Phi anion. The NMR studies showed a distinct cytoplasmic accumulation of Phi in Pi-deprived cells, whereas Pi resupply resulted in a rapid efflux of Phi. Pi-preloaded cells shifted Phi directly into vacuoles. These studies allowed for the first time to follow Phi flux processes in an in vivo setting in plants. On the other hand, the external Pi nutrition status and the metabolic state of the cells had a strong influence on the intracellular compartmentalization of xenobiotic Phi.     

Advantages and disadvantages of the animal models v. in vitro studies in iron metabolism: a review

Iron deficiency is the most common nutritional deficiency in the world. Special molecules have evolved for iron acquisition, transport and storage in soluble, nontoxic forms. Studies about the effects of iron on health are focused on iron metabolism or nutrition to prevent or treat iron deficiency and anemia. These studies are focused in two main aspects: (1) basic studies to elucidate iron metabolism and (2) nutritional studies to evaluate the efficacy of iron supplementation to prevent or treat iron deficiency and anemia. This paper reviews the advantages and disadvantages of the experimental models commonly used as well as the methods that are more used in studies related to iron. In vitro studies have used different parts of the gut. In vivo studies are done in humans and animals such as mice, rats, pigs and monkeys. Iron metabolism is a complex process that includes interactions at the systemic level. In vitro studies, despite physiological differences to humans, are useful to increase knowledge related to this essential micronutrient. Isotopic techniques are the most recommended in studies related to iron, but their high cost and required logistic, making them difficult to use. The depletion–-repletion of hemoglobin is a method commonly used in animal studies. Three depletion–-repletion techniques are mostly used: hemoglobin regeneration efficiency, relative biological values (RBV) and metabolic balance, which are official methods of the association of official analytical chemists. These techniques are well-validated to be used as studies related to iron and their results can be extrapolated to humans. Knowledge about the main advantages and disadvantages of the in vitro and animal models, and methods used in these studies, could increase confidence of researchers in the experimental results with less costs.     

NMR studies of membranes composed of glycolipids and phospholipids

Lipid membranes composed of monogalactosyldiacylglycerol (MGDG) and dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine (DMPC) were studied by means of NMR spectroscopy. The macroscopic phase behaviour was investigated by ³¹P NMR under stationary conditions, whereas microscopic properties such as segmental ordering were probed by two-dimensional ¹H-¹³C separated local field experiments under magic-angle spinning conditions. Our results clearly show that ordering/disordering effects occur for the headgroups as well as for the acyl chains when the sample composition is varied. In particular, the ¹H-¹³C dipolar couplings within the galactose headgroup of MGDG exhibited significant concentration dependence.