Effect of ph, temperature and salinity on the production of gamma aminobutyric acid (GABA) from amines by marine bacteria

Abstract Bacteria isolated from sea-water grew on putrescine and spermidine as the sole carbon and nitrogen source, but not on cadaverine. Cell suspensions of one isolate (PU-8) produced gamma aminobutyric acid (GABA) from putrescine in 0.02 M phosphate buffer (pH 7.6) containing 0.33 M NaCl and 15 mM MgCl₂, and three other isolates produced the inducer when gabaculine (a natural inhibitor of GABA metabolism) was added. None of the isolates produced GABA from spermidine either in the absence or presence of gabaculine. Yields of GABA from putrescine were low in the suspension fluid and near stoichiometric quantities could only be obtained by extraction of incubations with methanol. Decreased NaCl (< 0.05 M) or increased pH resulted in an increase of GABA released into the suspension fluid during incubations, although in growth cultures only pH appeared to have a substantial effect. GABA release was not influenced by temperature in the range 17 to 32°C. Replacement of the normal concentration of NaCl (0.33 M) with equivalent LiCl, sodium glucuronate, or sucrose in cell suspensions did not result in increased GABA in the suspension fluid, indicating non-involvement of a sodium or chloride ion-dependent transport system in GABA release. The results show that marine bacteria can produce GABA, an inducer of marine invertebrate larval settlement, and indicate that extenal changes in osmotic pressure and pH which influence GABA release may be important factors to consider in the production of this inducer.     

In Vitro Release of Endogenous Amino Acids from Granule Cell-, Stellate Cell-, and Climbing Fiber-Deficient Cerebella

Abstract: The K⁺-stimulated, Ca²⁺-dependent release of glutamate, aspartate, -γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), alanine, taurine, and glycine was measured in slices of cerebella obtained from control, and granule cell-, granule cell plus stellate cell-, or climbing fiber-deficient cerebella of the rat. The 55 mm -K⁺-stimulated release of glutamate and GABA was 10-fold greater in the presence of Ca²⁺ than in its absence. The stimulated release of aspartate was 4-fold higher when Ca²⁺ was present in the bathing media, while the value for alanine was twice as high as the amount obtained in the absence of Ca²⁺. There was no stimulated release of either taurine or glycine from the cerebellar slices. Increasing the Mg²⁺ concentration to 16 HIM inhibited the K⁺-stimulated, Ca²⁺-dependent release of glutamate, GABA, aspartate, and alanine 85% or more. The K⁺-stimulated, Ca²⁺ dependent release of glutamate, aspartate, and alanine from x-irradiated cerebella deficient in granule cells was reduced to 50–57% of control value. Additional x-irradiation treatment, which further reduced the cerebellar granule cell population and also prevented the acquisition of stellate cells, decreased the release of glutamate by 77%, aspartate by 66%, alanine by 91%, and, in addition, decreased the release of GABA by 55%. The K⁺-stimulated, Ca²⁺-dependent release of glutamate, aspartate, GABA, and alanine was not changed in climbing fiber-deficient cerebella obtained from 3-acetylpyridine-treated rats. The data support a transmitter role for GABA and glutamate in the cerebellum, but do not support a similar function for either taurine or glycine. The data also suggest that alanine and aspartate may be co-released along with glutamate from granule cells.     

pH equilibration in human erythrocyte suspensions

Summary A stopped-flow rapid reaction apparatus was used to study the rate of pH equilibration in human red cell suspensions. Flux of OH^– or H⁺ was determined over a wide range of extracellular pH (4–11) in CO₂-free erythrocyte suspensions. In these experiments, an erythrocyte suspension at pH 7.3 is rapidly mixed with an equal volume of NaCl solution at 3.0>pH>11.5. The pH of the extracellular fluid of the mixture changes rapidly as OH^– or H⁺ moves across the red cell membrane. Flux and velocity constants can be calculated from the initiald pH/dt using the known initial intra- and extracellular pH. It was found that the further the extracellular pH is from 7.3 (in either direction from 4–11), the greater the absolute value of total OH^– and/or H⁺ flux. Pretreatment with SITS (4-acetamido-4-isothiocyanostilbene-2,2-disulfonic acid), a potent anion exchange inhibitor, greatly reduces flux over the entire pH range, while exposure to valinomycin, a potassium ionophore, has no measurable effect. These data suggest that (i) both H⁺ and OH^– may be moving across the red cell membrane at all pH; (ii) the species dominating pH equilibration is probably dependent on the extracellular pH, which determines the magnitude of the driving gradient for each ion; and (iii) the rapid exchange pathway of the erythrocyte membrane may be utilized for both H⁺ and OH^– transport during CO₂-free pH equilibration.     

Role of Carboxydobacteria in Consumption of Atmospheric Carbon Monoxide by Soil

The carbon monoxide consumption rates of the carboxydobacteria Pseudomonas (Seliberia) carboxydohydrogena, P. carboxydovorans, and P. carboxydoflava were measured at high (50%) and low (0.5 μl liter⁻¹) mixing ratios of CO in air. CO was only consumed when the bacteria had been grown under CO-autotrophic conditions. As an exception, P. carboxydoflava consumed CO also after heterotrophic growth on pyruvate. At low cell densities the CO consumption rates measured at low CO mixing ratios were similar in cell suspensions and in mixtures of bacteria in soil. CO consumption observed in natural soil (loess, eolian sand, chernozem) as well as in suspensions or soil mixtures of carboxydobacteria showed Michaelis-Menten kinetics. The K_m values for CO of the carboxydobacteria (K_m = 465 to 1,110 μl of CO liter⁻¹) were much higher than those of the natural soils (K_m = 5 to 8 μl of CO liter⁻¹). Considering the difference of the K_m values and the observed V_max values, carboxydobacteria cannot contribute significantly to the consumption of atmospheric CO.     

Adenosine A2A receptor activation is determinant for BDNF actions upon GABA and glutamate release from rat hippocampal synaptosomes

Adenosine, through A_2A receptor (A_2AR) activation, can act as a metamodulator, controlling the actions of other modulators, as brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). Most of the metamodulatory actions of adenosine in the hippocampus have been evaluated in excitatory synapses. However, adenosine and BDNF can also influence GABAergic transmission. We thus evaluated the role of A_2AR on the modulatory effect of BDNF upon glutamate and GABA release from isolated hippocampal nerve terminals (synaptosomes). BDNF (30 ng/ml) enhanced K⁺-evoked [³H]glutamate release and inhibited the K⁺-evoked [³H]GABA release from synaptosomes. The effect of BDNF on both glutamate and GABA release requires tonic activation of adenosine A_2AR since for both neurotransmitters, the BDNF action was blocked by the A_2AR antagonist SCH 58261 (50 nM). In the presence of the A_2AR agonist, {"type":"entrez-protein","attrs":{"text":"CGS21680","term_id":"878113053","term_text":"CGS21680"}}CGS21680 (30 nM), the effect of BDNF on either glutamate or GABA release was, however, not potentiated. It is concluded that both the inhibitory actions of BDNF on GABA release as well as the facilitatory action of the neurotrophin on glutamate release are dependent on the activation of adenosine A_2AR by endogenous adenosine. However, these actions could not be further enhanced by exogenous activation of A_2AR.     

An Ascochlorin Derivative,AS-6, Potentiates Insulin Action in Streptozotocin Diabetic Mice and Rats

γ-Aminobutyric acid (GABA), a hypotensive compound, and alanine accumulated in tea leaves under anaerobic conditions. Since the ¹⁵N in ¹⁵N-glutamic acid was well incorporated in GABA and alanine during anaerobic incubation, glutamic acid seemed to be a source of nitrogen for the increased GABA and alanine. GOT and GPT were the predominant amino acid transaminases in tea leaves. Although glutamate decarboxylase and GPT seemed to be important for GABA and alanine accumulation, the activities of these enzymes did not increase under anaerobic conditions. Glutamate decarboxylase, which formed GABA from glutamate, was purified 52.4-fold. This enzyme, with an optimum pH at 5.8, was activated by pyridoxal phosphate and used only l-glutamic acid as a substrate.     

GLUCOSE AND AMINO ACID METABOLISM IN ISOLATED NEURONAL AND GLIAL CELL FRACTIONS IN VITRO

Abstract—

• 1 The metabolism of three substrates, [U-¹⁴C]glucose, [U-¹⁴C]pyruvate and [U-¹⁴C]glutamate has been studied in vitro in neuronal and glial cell fractions obtained from rat cerebral cortex by a density gradient technique.
• 2 The mixed cell suspension, after washing, metabolized glucose and glutamate in a manner essentially similar to the tissue slice. Exceptions were a reduced ability to generate lactate from glucose and alanine from glutamate, and a lowered effect of added glucose in suppressing the production of aspartate from glutamate.
• 3 After 2 hr incubation with [U-¹⁴C]glucose, the concentration of the amino acids glutamate, glutamine, GABA, aspartate and alanine were raised in the neuronal, compared to the glial fraction to 234 per cent, 176 per cent, 202 per cent, 167 per cent and 230 per cent respectively although both were lower than in the tissue slice. Incorporation of radio-activity was absolutely lower in the neuronal fraction, however, and the specific activities of the amino acids were: glutamate 12 per cent, GABA 18 per cent, aspartate 34 per cent, and alanine 33 per cent of those in the glial fraction.
• 4 After the incubation with [U-¹⁴C]pyruvate, the pool size of the amino acids were higher than after incubation with glucose, except for GABA, which was reduced to one-third. The concentrations of the amino acids glutamate, glutamine, GABA, aspartate, and alanine in the neuronal fraction were respectively 46 per cent, 143 per cent, 105 per cent, 97 per cent, and 57 per cent of those in the glial. Thus, with the exception of alanine, the specific activity of the neuronal amino acids compared to the glial was little increased when pyruvate replaced glucose as substrate.
• 5 After 2 hr incubation with [U-¹⁴C]glutamate in the presence of non-radioactive glucose, the pool sizes of all the amino acids were increased in both neuronal and glial fractions, with the exception of neuronal alanine and glial glutamine. The concentrations of the amino acids glutamine, GABA, aspartate and alanine were raised in the neuronal fraction, compared to the glial, to 425 per cent, 187 per cent, 222 per cent, and 133 per cent respectively. The specific activities of all the amino acids were higher than with glucose alone with the exception of alanine, and neuronal GABA. Neuronal glutamine and aspartate had specific activities respectively 102 per cent and 84 per cent of glial.
• 6 An unidentified amino acid, with R_F comparable to that of alanine and specific activity close to that of glutamate, was also present after incubation. It was relatively concentrated in the neuronal fraction.
• 7 The distribution of the enzymes glutamate dehydrogenase, aspartate aminotransferase, glutamate decarboxylase and glutamine synthetase between the cell fractions was studied. With the exception of glutamine synthetase, none of the enzymes was lost from the cell fractions during their preparation. Only 14 per cent of the glutamine synthetase, compared with 75 per cent of total protein, was recovered in the fractions. Of the enzymes, glutamate dehydrogenase activity was 406 per cent, and glutamate synthetase activity 177 per cent in the neuronal fraction compared to the glial in the absence of detergent. In the presence of detergent, glutamate dehydrogenase control was 261 per cent, aspartate aminotransferase activity 237 per cent is the neuronal as compared to the glial fraction.
• 8 Incorporation of radioactivity into acid-insoluble material from either glutamate or pyruvate was twice as high into the neuronal as the glial fraction.
• 9 The extent to which these differences may be extrapolated back to the intact tissue is considered, and certain correction factors calculated. The significance of the observations for an understanding of the compartmentation of amino acid pools and metabolism in the brain, and the possible identification of such compartments, is discussed.

     

Production of Extracellular Polysaccharide by Zoogloea ramigera

In batch cultures of Zoogloea ramigera the maximum rate of exopolysaccharide synthesis occurred in a partly growth-linked process. The exopolysaccharide was attached to the cells as a capsule. The capsules were released from the cell walls after 150 h of cultivation, which caused the fermentation broth to be highly viscous. Ultrasonication could be used to release capsular polysaccharide from the microbial cell walls. Treatment performed after 48 to 66 h of cultivation revealed exopolysaccharide concentration and apparent viscosity values in accordance with values of untreated samples withdrawn after 161 h of cultivation. The yield coefficient of exopolysaccharide on the basis of consumed glucose was in the range of 55 to 60% for batch cultivations with an initial glucose concentration of 25 g liter⁻¹. An exopolysaccharide concentration of up to 38 g liter⁻¹ could be attained if glucose, nitrogen, and growth factors were fed into the batch culture. The oxygen consumption rate in batch fermentations reached 25 mmol of O₂ liter⁻¹ h⁻¹ during the exopolysaccharide synthesis phase and then decreased to values below 5 mmol of O₂ liter⁻¹ h⁻¹ during the release phase. The fermentation broth showed pseudoplastic flow behavior, and the polysaccharide was not degraded when growth had ceased.     

THE COMPARTMENTATION OF GLUTAMATE AND ITS METABOLITES IN FRACTIONS OF NEURON CELL BODIES AND NEUROPIL; STUDIED BY INTRAVENTRICULAR INJECTION OF [U-14C]GLUTAMATE

Abstract—

• 1 The in vivo metabolism of glutamate in rat neuron cell bodies and neuropil was studied after intraventricular injection of (U-¹⁴C)glutamic acid followed by separation of the tissue into neuronal and neuropil fractions.

• 2 The losses of amino acid and of radioactivity during the fractionation were equivalent. Recoveries were: glutamate, 32; glutamine, 15; aspartate, 25; GABA, 41; alanine, 30 per cent. In the washed cell fractions glutamine was 45 per cent and alanine 132 per cent higher in the neuronal fraction, glutamate was 62, GABA 77 and aspartate 95 per cent of neuropil levels. This contrasted with results obtained previously for in vitro incorporation. Calculation from these results indicated that 28 per cent of the original cell suspension was neuronal, 72 per cent neuropil. In the final cell preparations, 29 per cent of the neuron cell bodies and 26 per cent of the neuropil were recovered.

• 3 Specific activity of glutamate in the neuronal fraction 15 min after injection was higher than in the original suspension, but had declined to 30 per cent of its initial value by 2 h. In the neuropil, specific activity of glutamate was below that of the cell suspension at 15 min, but at later times rose above it by up to 40 per cent.

• 4 Radioactivity was detected in aspartate and glutamine 15 min after injection and GABA by 60 min after injection. In the original cell suspension the specific activity of glutamine was higher than that of glutamate at all times (the Waelsch effect) but aspartate and GABA were lower than glutamate.

• 5 In the neuronal fraction the specific activity of glutamine was below that of glutamate at all times, indicating a precursor-product relationship. In the neuropil fraction, glutamine specific activity remained above glutamate for the first hour.

• 6 These results are discussed in relation to the interpretation of the Waelsch effect in terms of metabolic compartmentation.

     

GLUCOSE AND AMINO ACID METABOLISM IN OCTOPUS OPTIC AND VERTICAL LOBES IN VITRO

(1) The metabolism of glucose and amino acids in vitro was compared in the rat cerebral cortex and the optic and vertical lobes of the octopus brain. (2) Specific activities and pool sizes of the five amino acids, glutamate, aspartate, glutamine, alanine and γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), were determined in octopus and rat brain slices after 2 hr incubation with 10 mm -[U-¹⁴C]glucose, 10 mm -L-[U-¹⁴C]glutamate, and 10mm -^L-[U-¹⁴C]glutamate with added 10 mM-glucose. Amino acid pool sizes were similar in rat and octopus brain, with the exception of alanine, which was higher in the octopus. Generally specific activities were from four- to 20-fold higher in rat brain. With [U-¹⁴C]glucose as substrate, specific activities of GABA and glutamate were highest in rat; those of alanine and glutamine highest in octopus brain. With ^L-[U-¹⁴C]glutamate the specific activities of GABA and aspartate were highest in rat, that of aspartate highest and GABA lowest in octopus. The addition of glucose to ^L-[U-¹⁴C]glutamate as substrate had little effect on the specific activities of any of the amino acids. (3) The uptake of some amino acids was determined by incubation with [U-¹⁴C]amino acids for 2 hr, and ¹⁴CO₂ formation was also measured. The amount of label taken up by octopus was uniformly 20-25 per cent of that found for rat brain. The amount of ¹⁴CO₂, however, differed according to the amino acid. Four times as much ¹⁴CO₂ was generated from alanine by octopus optic lobe and twice as much by the vertical lobe than rat cortex, but from glutamate, only 24 per cent in the optic and 15 per cent in the vertical lobe. No ¹⁴CO₂ was generated from [U-¹⁴C]GABA in the octopus, by contrast with the rat. (4) Activity of some of the enzymes involved in amino acid metabolism was determined in homogenates of rat cortex and octopus optic and vertical lobes, with and without activation by Triton X-100. Enzymic activities in the octopus, with the exception of alanine aminotransferase, were lower than in the rat, and glutamate decarboxylase could not be detected in octopus brain, in the absence of detergent.     

Evidence using in vivo microdialysis that aminotransferase activities are important in the regulation of the pools of transmitter amino acids

The effect of aminooxyacetic acid (AOAA), an inhibitor of pyridoxal phosphate-dependent enzymes (including the aminotransferases), on the K⁺-evoked release of amino acids was studied during microdialysis of neostriatum in anesthetized rats. K⁺-evoked (100 mM) release of asparatate, glutamate, and GABA was inhibited by 74%, 70%, and 63%, respectively, by 20 mM Mg²⁺ and are therefore reflecting release from the transmitter pools of these amino acids. Treatment with AOAA decreased the K⁺-evoked release of aspartate, glutamate, and GABA instantly, with a delayed decrease in the efflux of glutamine and alanine, arguing that the synthesis of transmitter amino acids in particular is sensitive to the activity of pyridoxal phosphate-dependent enzymes. Interestingly, GABA release increased severalfold following the initial decrease, probably reflecting inhibition by AOAA on GABA aminotransferase, the enzyme most sensitive to inhibition by AOAA, and responsible for enzymatic inactivation of transmitter GABA.Special issue dedicated to Dr. Claude Baxter.     

Efflux and Influx of Erythrocyte Water

Rabbit erythrocytes were washed in buffered NaCl solutions isotonic with rabbit serum (Δ^t -0.558°C.) and suspended in buffered NaCl solutions of tonicity equidistant from intracellular tonicity (Δ^t = -0.558°C. ± 0.112°C.) of varying pH and incubated at varying temperatures. After incubation, the freezing point depression (Δ^t) was measured on the supernatant. Change in the Δ^t measured change in the water content of the extracellular solutions—water being withdrawn by erythrocytes (W_I) from the hypotonic solutions and added (W_E) to the hypertonic solutions. W_E was always less than W_I and was inversely proportional to the pH in the range 6.5–8.0. W_E was significantly increased by lowering the temperature of the cell suspension to 4°C. W_I was increased by raising or lowering the pH or raising the temperature of the cell suspension. W_E x W_I ≠ k. W_E and W_I were affected differently by changes in pH and temperature. It was concluded that W_E and W_E were probably under different physicochemical control.     

Release of Endogenous Amino Acids from the Striatum from Developing and Adult Mice in Ischemia

In most other studies the release of amino acid neurotransmitters and modulators in vitro has been studied mostly using labeled preloaded compounds. For several reasons the estimated release may not reliably reflect the release of endogenous compounds. The magnitudes of the release cannot thus be quite correctly estimated using radioactive labels. The basal and K⁺-evoked release of the neuroactive endogenous amino acids γ-aminobutyrate (GABA), glycine, taurine, glutamate and aspartate was now studied in slices from the striatum from 7-day-old to 3-month-old mice under control (normoxic) and ischemic conditions. The release of alanine, threonine and serine was assessed as control. GABA and glutamate release was much greater in 3-month-old than in 7-day-old mice, whereas with taurine the situation was the opposite. Ischemia markedly enhanced the release of all these three amino acids. The release of aspartate and glycine was markedly enhanced as well whereas no effects were discernible in the release of glutamine, alanine, serine and threonine. K⁺ stimulation (50 mM) enhanced the release of GABA, glutamate, taurine, aspartate and glycine in most cases, except with taurine in 3-month-old mice under the ischemic conditions and with aspartate in 7-day-old mice under the control conditions. K⁺ stimulation did not affect the release of glutamine, alanine, serine or threonine. The results on endogenous amino acids are qualitatively similar to those obtained in our earlier experiments with labeled preloaded amino acids. In conclusion, in developing mice only inhibitory taurine is released in such amounts that may counteract the harmful effects of excitatory amino acids in ischemia.     

Aerobic Fermentation of D-Xylose to Ethanol by Clavispora sp

Eleven strains of an undescribed species of Clavispora fermented D-xylose directly to ethanol under aerobic conditions. Strain UWO(PS)83-877-1 was grown in a medium containing 2% D-xylose and 0.5% yeast extract, and the following results were obtained: ethanol yield coefficient (ethanol/D-xylose), 0.29 g g⁻¹ (57.4% of theoretical); cell yield coefficient (dry biomass/D-xylose), 0.25 g g⁻¹; maximum ethanol concentration, 5.9 g liter⁻¹; maximum volumetric ethanol productivity, 0.11 g liter⁻¹ h⁻¹. With initial D-xylose concentrations of 40, 60, and 80 g liter⁻¹, maximum ethanol concentrations of 8.8, 10.9, and 9.8 g liter⁻¹ were obtained, respectively (57.2, 57.1, and 48.3% of theoretical). Ethanol was found to inhibit the fermentation of D-xylose (K_p = 0.58 g liter⁻¹) more than the fermentation of glucose (K_p = 6.5 g liter⁻¹). The performance of this yeast compared favorably with that reported for some other D-xylose-fermenting yeasts.     

GABA and glutamate fluxes in developing nerve endings

Radiolabeled GABA and glutamate transport into 7 day, 14 day and adult cortical nerve ending preparations was examined. Transport was measured at several Na⁺ concentrations, 19, 27, 43 and 121 mM, and at two temperatures, 15 and 30°C. K_m and V_max values were calculated for all experimental conditions by means of Wilkinson (1961) analysis. A comparison of the day 14 and adult data shows higher K_m values at all Na⁺ concentrations on day 14 for both GABA and glutamate transport. In addition, the temperature dependence of transport was attenuated in the day 14 preparation. Finally, the specificity of GABA transport, as measured by the use of the transport inhibitors β-alanine and 2,4-diaminobutyric acid, was not different between the day 14 and adult preparations. Overall, it is concluded that both GABA and glutamate transport into day 14 nerve endings behave as if “adult” transporter molecules were existing in a more fluid lipid environment, which is the situation found in synaptic membranes prepared from day 14 nerve endings (Hitzemann and Johnson, 1983).Glutamate and GABA transport into 7 day nerve endings is complex and shows marked differences from the day 14 and adult data. Day 7 GABA transport was significantly more sensitive to β-alanine inhibition. Day 7 transport was more sensitive to Na⁺ manipulation and the temperature dependent kinetics show unique Na⁺ effects not seen in the day 14 or adult preparations. For example, at 19 mM Na⁺, 7 day glutamate transport was more temperature dependent than adult transport but as the Na⁺ concentration was increased the reverse was true. The opposite situation for temperature-Na⁺ effects was seen for GABA transport. Finally, no Ca⁺²-dependent component of GABA release could be found in 7 day nerve endings while a significant component was found at day 14. Overall, it is concluded that both glutamate and GABA fluxes in 7 day nerve endings differ both qualitatively from that seen in both day 14 and adult nerve endings.     

Bioreactor culture of heterotrophic sandalwood (Santalum album L.) cell suspensions utilizing a cell-lift impeller

Summary Growth and phenolic production by two heterotrophic suspension cultures (SW-1 and SW-2) of sandalwood cultivated in a 2.5 L bioreactor were investigated. Cultures of SW-1 cell suspensions resulted in a maximum phenolic content of 32.5 mg L^–1 compared to 12.5 mg L^–1 produced by SW-2 cell suspensions. Fresh weight doubling time (Td) was 5.8 days and the specific growth rate () was 0.12 d^–1 during exponential growth for both cell lines. The pH of the culture medium decreased from 5.5 to 3.5 during the exponential growth phase of SW-1 and SW-2 cell suspensions. The dissolved oxygen content also dropped steadily during culture and remained at 40% throughout exponential growth phase. These results should provide a basis for developing sandalwood cell cultures for bioproduction of useful compounds.Abbreviations 2,4-D: 2–4 dichlorophenoxyacetic acid - BA N⁶-benzyladenine - Eh Medium oxidation-reduction potential - K_La Oxygen transfer coefficient - MS Murashige and Skoog (1962) basal medium - SW-1 and SW-2 Sandalwood suspension lines     

Characterization of endogenous amino acid efflux from hippocampal slices during chemically-induced ischemia

Using sodium (NaN₃)-induced anoxia plus aglycaemia as a model of chemically-induced ischemia, we have characterized the endogenous release of excitatory and inhibitory amino acids from superfused hippocampal slices. Chemical ischemia produced an azide (1–30 mM) dose-dependent increase in the efflux of glutamate, aspartate and GABA. These increases were attenuated to varying degrees by removal of Ca²⁺, or the addition of the voltage dependent Na⁺-channel blocker tetrodotoxin (TTX), the selective Ca²⁺ channel blockers conotoxin MVIIA, MVIIC, and nifedipine, the NMDA antagonist MK801, the AMPA antagonist GYKI-52466. Similarly, addition of the GLT-1 glutamate transport inhibitor dihydrokainate (DHK) and the anti-estrogen/anion channel blocker tamoxifen also attenuated the efflux of glutamate and GABA. It would therefore appear that the increases in amino acid efflux induced by chemical ischemia originates from both the neuronal pool, via conventional exocytotic release, and glial sources via reversal of the GLT-1 transporter and anion channel regulated cell swelling.     

Reactor-Scale Cultivation of the Hyperthermophilic Methanarchaeon Methanococcus jannaschii to High Cell Densities

For the hyperthermophilic and barophilic methanarchaeon Methanococcus jannaschii, we have developed a medium and protocols for reactor-scale cultivation that improved the final cell yield per liter from ~0.5 to ~7.5 g of packed wet cells (~1.8 g dry cell mass) under autotrophic growth conditions and to ~8.5 g of packed wet cells (~2 g dry cell mass) with yeast extract (2 g liter⁻¹) and tryptone (2 g liter⁻¹) as medium supplements. For growth in a sealed bottle it was necessary to add Se to the medium, and a level of 2 μM for added Se gave the highest final cell yield. In a reactor M. jannaschii grew without added Se in the medium; it is plausible that the cells received Se as a contaminant from the reactor vessel and the H₂S supply. But, for the optimal performance of a reactor culture, an addition of Se to a final concentration of 50 to 100 μM was needed. Also, cell growth in a reactor culture was inhibited at much higher Se concentrations. These observations and the data from previous work with methanogen cell extracts (B. C. McBride and R. S. Wolfe, Biochemistry 10:4312–4317, 1971) suggested that from a continuously sparged reactor culture Se was lost in the exhaust gas as volatile selenides, and this loss raised the apparent required level of and tolerance for Se. In spite of having a proteinaceous cell wall, M. jannaschii withstood an impeller tip speed of 235.5 cms⁻¹, which was optimal for achieving high cell density and also was the higher limit for the tolerated shear rate. The organism secreted one or more acidic compounds, which lowered pH in cultures without pH control; this secretion continued even after cessation of growth.     

Biotechnological Process for Production of β-Dipeptides from Cyanophycin on a Technical Scale and Its Optimization

A triphasic process was developed for the production of β dipeptides from cyanophycin (CGP) on a large scale. Phase I comprises an optimized acid extraction method for technical isolation of CGP from biomass. It yielded highly purified CGP consisting of aspartate, arginine, and a little lysine. Phase II comprises the fermentative production of an extracellular CGPase (CphE_al) from Pseudomonas alcaligenes strain DIP1 on a 500-liter scale in mineral salts medium, with citrate as the sole carbon source and CGP as an inductor. During optimization, it was shown that 2 g liter⁻¹ citrate, pH 6.5, and 37°C are ideal parameters for CphE_al production. Maximum enzyme yields were obtained after induction in the presence of 50 mg liter⁻¹ CGP or CGP dipeptides for 5 or 3 h, respectively. Aspartate at a concentration of 4 g liter⁻¹ induced CphE_al production with only about 30% efficiency in comparison to that with CGP. CphE_al was purified utilizing its affinity for the substrate and its specific binding to CGP. CphE_al turned out to be a serine protease with maximum activity at 50°C and at pH 7 to 8.5. Phase III comprises degradation of CGP to β-aspartate-arginine and β-aspartate-lysine dipeptides with a purity of over 99% (by thin-layer chromatography and high-performance liquid chromatography), employing a crude CphE_al preparation. Optimum degradation parameters were 100 g liter⁻¹ CGP, 10 g liter⁻¹ crude CphE_al powder, and 4 h of incubation at 50°C. The overall efficiency of phase III was 91%, while 78% (wt/wt) of the used CphE_al powder with sustained activity toward CGP was recovered. The optimized process was performed with industrial materials and equipment and is applicable to any desired scale.     

The effect of fluorocitrate on transmitter amino acid release from rat striatal slices

In order to study the role of glutamine from glial cells for the synthesis of transmitter amino acids, the effect of the gliotoxic substance fluorocitrate on amino acid release from slices was investigated. In vivo treatment with 1 nmol fluorocitrate reduced the Ca²⁺ dependent K⁺ evoked release of endogenous glutamate and GABA from the slices, whereas the glutamine efflux decreased and alanine efflux increased. The K⁺ evoked release of [³H]d-aspartate increased during fluorocitrate treatment. The latter is consistent with an inhibited uptake ofd-aspartate into glial cells. Incubation of striatal slices with fluorocitrate (0.1 mM) decreased the glutamine efflux and increased the alanine efflux. Similar to the in vivo condition, fluorocitrate increased the K⁺ evoked [³H]d-asparate release, but the K⁺ evoked release of endogenous glutamate and GABA increased rather than decreased. The ratio between the K⁺ evoked release of exogenousd-aspartate to endogenous glutamate increased in both cases. The results suggest an important role of glial cells in the synthesis and inactivation of transmitter amino acids.Special Issue dedicated to Prof. Holger Hydén.