Functional characteristics ofl-glutamate,N-methyl-d-aspartate and kainate receptors in isolated brain synaptic membranes

l-Glutamic acid (l-Glu) and other excitatory amino acids and amino acid analogs enhanced [³⁵S]thiocyanate (SCN^–) uptake in isolated-resealed synaptic membrane vesicles. The SCN^– uptake was used as a measure of membrane depolarization to evaluate the characteristics of functional excitatory amino acid receptors in the synaptic membranes.N-Methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) andl-Glu produced additive effects on SCN^– accumulation indicating the presence of distinctl-Glu and NMDA receptors. On the other hand, kainic acid (KA) andl-Glu shared either common receptor sites or ion channels. The effects of antagonists on NMDA,l-Glu, and KA stimulation of SCN^– influx were consistent with previously reported electrophysiologic observations in intact neurons.     

Glutamic acid production byArthrobacter globiformis

Two hundred and fiftyArthrobacter strains were tested in a basal salts-glucose medium for their ability to produce glutamic acid; 50 strains produced small amounts of glutamic acid and alanine, as well as traces of other amino acids. Five biotin-dependent strains produced extraordinarily large amounts of glutamic acid. One of these, which was identified asA. globiformis, was selected for further study. Glutamic acid was only produced by this organism at biotin levels suboptimal for growth; maximal production (0.45 moles of glutamic acid per mole of glucose consumed) occurred at a biotin level of 10^–5 µg/ml. Other factors which markedly influenced glutamic acid production were temperature, (NH₄)₂SO₄ concentration, and pH of the growth medium.The taxonomy of glutamic acid-producing bacteria and the correlation between biotin deficiency and glutamic acid production are discussed.     

Production of butanol by Clostridium puniceum in batch and continuous culture

Summary The pink-pigmented, amylolytic and pectinolytic bacterium Clostridium puniceum in anaerobic batch culture at pH 5.5 and 25–30°C produced butan-1-ol as the major product of fermentation of glucose or starch. The alcohol was formed throughout the exponential phase of growth and surprisingly little acetone was simultaneously produced. Furthermore, acetic and butyric acids were only accumulated in low concentrations, and under optimal conditions were completely re-utilised before the fermentation ceased. Thus, in a minimal medium containing 4% w/v glucose as sole source of carbon and energy, after 65 h at 25°C, pH 5.5 all of the glucose had been consumed to yield (g product/100 g glucose utilised) butanol 32, acetone 3 and ethanol 2. Butanol was again the major product of glucose fermentation during phosphate-limited chemostat culture wherein, although the organism eventually lost its capacity to sporulate and to synthesize granulose, production of butanol continued for at least 100 volume changes. Under no growth condition was the organism capable of producing more than 13.3 g l^-1 of butanol. At pH 5.5, growth on pectin was slow and yielded a markedly lesser biomass concentration than when growth was on glucose or starch; acetic acid was the major fermentation product with lower concentrations of methanol, acetone, butanol and butyric acid. At pH 7, growth on all substrates produced virtually no solvents but high concentrations of both acetic and butyric acids.     

Effect of amino acids on growth ofSphaerotilus discophorus

The effect of casein hydrolysate, of mixtures of amino acids and of individual amino acids on the growth of 4 strains ofSphaerotilus discophorus was determined. Growth was virtually completely inhibited by 1.0% Bacto Casamino Acids, 0.54% simulated casein hydrolysate and 0.2% of a uniform mixture of 18 amino acids. The latter were prepared withl amino acids except thatdl-serine,dl-valine anddl-threonine were present in the uniform amino acid mixture.Experiments designed to test the toxicity of the 18 individual amino acids at 0.018 – 0.36% concentration indicated that arginine, glutamic acid, leucine, lysine and proline were non-toxic. However, aspartic acid and methionine were moderately toxic; growth was greatly repressed at a concentration of 0.36%. The remaining 11 amino acids which included alanine, cystine, glycine, tyrosine, histidine, isoleucine, phenylalanine, serine, threonine, tryptophane and valine were the most toxic of the group. They prevented growth partially or completely, at a concentration of 0.18% or 0.36%.dl-Serine anddl-valine were especially toxic and prevented growth at a concentration of 0.018%. The toxicity of the individuall-amino acids can account for the toxicity of Casamino Acids and simulated casein hydrolysate. l-Methionine or cyanocobalamin (vitamin B₁₂) is required for the growth ofS. discophorus. Alsod- anddl-methionine can replace cyanocobalamin although they completely repress growth when used at the relatively high concentration of 200 µg per ml of medium.     

Conditions for the production of jadomycin B byStreptomyces venezuelae ISP5230: Effects of heat shock,ethanol treatment and phage infection

Summary The novel benzoxazolophenanthridine antibiotic, jadomycin B, is produced byStreptomyces venezuelae ISP5230 following a 42 °C heat shock or exposure to ethanol. To further characterize these unusual culture conditions, studies were carried out using different media, varying nutrient concentrations, initial pH, and time of application of heat or ethanol stress. Highest titers of jadomycin B accumulated 48 h afterS. venezuelae ISP5230 was inoculated into ad-galactose-l-isoleucine production medium (pH 7.5) which was supplemented with ethanol (6%, v/v) between 6 and 13 h. Cultures supplemented with ethanol later than 17 h post inoculation into the production medium produced little or no jadomycin B. Among other heat-shock inducing treatments examined, infection with phage SV1 was associated with increased jadomycin B production. Although jadomycin B titers showed little change with variations in the concentration of phosphate in the production medium, the nature of the nitrogen source was found to be important. Different colored pigments, presumed to be jadomycin B analogs, were formed when other amino acids replacedl-isoleucine in the medium as the sole nitrogen source. Increased jadomycin B titers accompanied increasedl-isoleucine andd-galactose concentrations in the production medium.     

Modeling available 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid in a tissue culture medium containing activated carbon

Clonal propagation of high-value forest trees by somatic embryogenesis can help meet industry needs for uniform and high quality raw materials. Low embryogenic tissue initiation frequencies for loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) pose a limitation in work towards commercialization of this technology. At the time our research began most work on somatic embryo culture initiation in loblolly pine reported success in the range of 1–5%. Activated carbon (AC) has been reported to improve many tissue culture systems including embryogenic tissue initiation in Douglas-fir. To improve initiation frequencies in loblolly pine, the development of an AC-containing system was explored. In order to better understand the availability of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) in initiation medium, we tracked media surface concentrations of free or available 2,4-D. Media containing 1/2 modified P6 salts, 1.5% maltose, 2% myo-inositol, case amino acids, glutamine, vitamins, and 0.4% Gelrite were modified to include 0.625 – 2.5 g l^–1 of activated carbon (Sigma C-9157, acid washed) and 110 –440 mg l^–1 2,4-D. Adsorption and availability of 2,4-D in AC-containing medium was tracked by C¹⁴ labeled 2,4-D present in surface moisture absorbed into filter paper. High correlations were found between–available 2,4-D and time when AC and initial 2,4-D concentrations were held constant,–available 2,4-D and AC concentration when initial added 2,4-D and time were held constant, and–available 2,4-D and initial 2,4-D when AC and time were held constant.All of these relationships were exponential, not linear. Multiple regression models inputting initial 2,4-D added to medium in mg l^–1, activated carbon added to medium in %, and time in days, were able to explain 85–88% of the variability in available 2,4-D. These models can be used to achieve target levels of available 2,4-D by adjustment of initial 2,4-D levels or AC content.     

Production of propionic acid by mixed cultures ofPropionibacterium shermanii andLactobacillus casei in autoclave-sterilized whey

Summary Pure cultures ofPropionibacterium freudenreichii ss.shermanii did not grow in autoclave-sterilized cheese whey (121°C, 15 psi, 20 min) at whey concentrations greater than 2% (w/v) spray-dried sweet dairy whey. Propionic acid was produced from autoclave-sterilized whey by growingP. shermanii in mixed culture withLactobacillus casei. In medium containing 5–12% autoclaved whey solids and 1% yeast extract, the mixed culture produced 1.3–3.0% propionic acid, 0.5–1.0% acetic acid, and 0.05–0.80% lactic acid. All the lactose was consumed. Using pH-controlled fermentors (pH=7.0), mixed cultures produced at least 30% more propionic acid than cultures in which pH was not controlled.     

Culture conditions of tannase production by Lactobacillus plantarum

Lactobacillus plantarum produced an extracellular tannase after 24 h growth on minimal medium of amino acids containing 2 g tannic acid l^–1. Enzyme production (6 U ml^–1) was optimal at 37 °C and pH 6 with 2 g glucose l^–1 and 7 g tannic acid l^–1 in absence of O₂.     

Oxalic acid production from lipids by a mutant of Aspergillus niger at different pH

Crude rapeseed oil and post-refining fatty acids were used as substrates for oxalic acid production by a mutant of Aspergillus niger. Both the final concentration and the yield of the product were highest at pH 4 to 5. With a medium containing 50 g lipids l^–1, production reached a maximum of 68 g oxalic acid l^–1 after 7 d. A high yield of the product (up to 1.4 g oxalic acid g^–1 lipids consumed) was achieved with oil and fatty acids combined.     

Carbon sources,growth, sclerotium formation and carbohydrate composition of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum

Summary Sclerotinia sclerotiorum (Lib.) D By. was grown in stationary liquid mineral-salts medium, pH 4.3, containing various carbon sources and the weight of mycelia and sclerotia was determined at regular intervals. When grown on various glucose concentrations (0–24 g of C/l), more sclerotia were produced at 8–12 g of C/l. Sclerotia were not usually formed in shake cultures. The ability of the fungus to use other carbon sources for growth and sclerotium formation was tested at 12 g of C/l in the stationary mineral-salts medium. The highest weights of mycelia and sclerotia occurred with raffinose, sucrose, maltose, lactose, d-mannose, d-glucose, d-fructose or l-arabinose. Good growth but decreased sclerotium production were found on cellobiose and d-xylose. Reduced or poor growth, a long lag period and few or no sclerotia occurred on trehalose, melibiose, l-sorbose, l-rhamnose, d-ribose, d-arabinose, l-xylose or 8 polyols. No growth was observed with erythritol or i-inositol. A combination of glucose plus trehalose or polyols resulted in increased growth and the formation of sclerotia. Organic acids supported little or no growth and no sclerotia were produced. Generally culture filtrates which supported growth and formation of sclerotia became acid (about pH 3.5). The pH of the culture filtrate usually increased slowly during the growth period when the fungus grew poorly and no sclerotia were formed. The alcoholsoluble sugars and polyols present in culture filtrates, mycelia and sclerotia were determined by paper and thin-layer chromatography. Regardless of the carbon source, mannitol was usually present in culture filtrates. The occurrence of other compounds in the filtrates depended on the carbon source. Trehalose, mannitol and usually small quantities of glucose or fructose were present in mycelia and sclerotia from all carbon sources. Galactitol or pentitols occurred in mycelia and sclerotia when the fungus grew on galactose and oligosaccharides containing galactose or the corresponding pentose, sugars. Acid hydrolyzates of the alcohol-insoluble fraction of mycelia or sclerotia contained glucose, smaller amounts of galactose and mannose and traces of ribose and rhamnose.     

Amino acid racemase with broad substrate specificity,its properties and use in phenylalanine racemization

Summary Broad substrate specificity amino acid racemase (EC 5.1.1.10) was purified from a crude extract of Pseudomonas putida SCRC-744 to near homogeneity. The enzyme has an isoelectric point of 7.6 and a molecular weight of 62,000–65,000. The enzyme showed a broad substrate specificity toward amino acids, utilizing d-glutamine as the best substrate. d-Phenylalanine acted as a substrate to 1% the velocity for d-glutamine. Maximal reaction velocities were observed at 50°–60°C and around pH 8. The apparent K_m values for d-glutamine and d-phenylalanine were 7.8 mM and 25.7 mM, respectively. Both enantiomers of phenylalanine were efficiently racemized by acetone-dried cells of P. putida SCRC-744.     

Engineering of sugar metabolism of Corynebacterium glutamicum for production of amino acid l-alanine under oxygen deprivation

Corynebacterium glutamicum was genetically engineered to produce l-alanine from sugar under oxygen deprivation. The genes associated with production of organic acids in C. glutamicum were inactivated and the alanine dehydrogenase gene (alaD) from Lysinibacillus sphaericus was overexpressed to direct carbon flux from organic acids to alanine. Although the alaD-expressing strain produced alanine from glucose under oxygen deprivation, its productivity was relatively low due to retarded glucose consumption. Homologous overexpression of the gapA gene encoding glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) in the alaD-expressing strain stimulated glucose consumption and consequently improved alanine productivity. In contrast gapA overexpression did not affect glucose consumption under aerobic conditions, indicating that oxygen deprivation engendered inefficient regeneration of NAD⁺ resulting in impaired GAPDH activity and reduced glucose consumption in the alanine-producing strains. Inactivation of the alanine racemase gene allowed production of l-alanine with optical purity greater than 99.5%. The resulting strain produced 98 g l⁻¹ of l-alanine after 32 h in mineral salts medium. Our results show promise for amino acid production under oxygen deprivation.     

Production of <Emphasis Type="SmallCaps">l</Emphasis>-Lysine from starch by <Emphasis Type="BoldItalic">Corynebacterium glutamicum</Emphasis> displaying α-amylase on its cell surface

We engineered a Corynebacterium glutamicum strain displaying α-amylase from Streptococcus bovis 148 (AmyA) on its cell surface to produce amino acids directly from starch. We used PgsA from Bacillus subtilis as an anchor protein, and the N-terminus of α-amylase was fused to the PgsA. The genes of the fusion protein were integrated into the homoserine dehydrogenase gene locus on the chromosome by homologous recombination. l-Lysine fermentation was carried out using C. glutamicum displaying AmyA in the growth medium containing 50 g/l soluble starch as the sole carbon source. We performed l-lysine fermentation at various temperatures (30–40°C) and pHs (6.0–7.0), as the optimal temperatures and pHs of AmyA and C. glutamicum differ significantly. The highest l-lysine yield was recorded at 30°C and pH 7.0. The amount of soluble starch was reduced to 18.29 g/l, and 6.04 g/l l-lysine was produced in 24 h. The l-lysine yield obtained using soluble starch as the sole carbon source was higher than that using glucose as the sole carbon source after 24 h when the same amount of substrates was added. The results shown in the current study demonstrate that C. glutamicum displaying α-amylase has a potential to directly convert soluble starch to amino acids.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Gluconobacter oxydans</Emphasis> NAD-dependent, <Emphasis Type="SmallCaps">D</Emphasis>-fructose reducing,polyol dehydrogenases activity: screening,medium optimisation and application for enzymatic polyol production

Gluconobacter oxydans LMG 1489 was selected as the best strain for NAD(P)-dependent polyol dehydrogenase production. The highest enzyme activities were obtained when this strain was cultivated on a medium consisting of 30 g glycerol l^–1, 7.2 g peptone l–1 and 1.8 g yeast extract l^–1. Two D-fructose reducing, NAD-dependent intracellular enzymes were present in the G. oxydans cell-free extract: sorbitol dehydrogenase, and mannitol dehydrogenase. Substrate reduction occurred optimally at a low pH (pH 6), while the optimum for substrate oxidation was situated at alkaline pHs (pH 9.5–10.5). The mannitol dehydrogenase was more thermostable than the sorbitol dehydrogenase. The cell-free extract could be used to produce D-mannitol and D-sorbitol enzymatically from D-fructose. Efficient coenzyme regeneration was accomplished by formate dehydrogenase-mediated oxidation of formate into CO₂.     

Amino acid consumption by Chloroflexus aurantiacus in batch and continuous cultures

Amino acid consumption was studied with batch and continuous chemostat cultures of Chloroflexus aurantiacus grown phototrophically in complex medium with casamino acids (Pierson and Castenholz 1974). Amino acids like Arg, Asx, Thr, Ala, Tyr, which were utilized during the early exponential phase by cells grown in batch cultures were consumed in chemostat cultures essentially at any of the dilution rates employed (0.018–0.104 h^-1). Those amino acids which were taken up during subsequent phases of growth were consumed in chemostat cultures preferentially at low dilution rates. For example, the consumption of Glx was enhanced during the late exponential phase and at low dilution rates. At high dilution rates Glx was not consumed at all. Since Glx utilization largely paralleled bacteriochlorophyll formation, it is discussed that formation of the photopigment depends on the intracellular availability of Glu as the exclusive precursor for tetrapyrrole synthesis.     

Purification and some properties of an extracellular l-amino acid oxidase from Cellulomonas cellulans AM8 isolated from soil

Summary The soil isolate Cellulomonas cellulans AM8 produces an extracellular l-amino acid oxidase (L-AAO) with broad substrate specificity. The strain produced up to 0.35 unit (U)/ml of the extracellular L-AAO in a simple medium containing glycerol and yeast extract. The enzyme was easily purified up to 30 U/mg protein using Phenyl-Sepharose fast flow. The purified enzyme migrated as single band on sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) with a molecular mass of 55 kDa. On native PAGE the molecular mass was approx. 300 000 kDa, which may be due to aggregation. With the exception of glycine, proline, and threonine, all the amino acids normally constituting proteins were oxidized. The V _max values from 0.7 to 35.2 U/mg for aspartic acid and lysine, respectively, and the K _m values from 0.007 to 7.1 mm for cysteine and valine, respectively, were obtained at 25° C and pH 7.0 in oxygen-saturated solutions. The L-AAO had a pH optimum of 6.5–7.5. It was stable for several months at — 30° C and for some days at 35° C. Ferricyanide served as an electron acceptor with a V _max of 50 U/mg and K _m for 0.3 mm with phenylalanine as the substrate. Correspondence to: R. D. Schmid     

Living cell reaction process forl-isoleucine andl-valine production

Summary A new process (Living Cell Reaction Process) forl-isoleucine production using viable, non-growing cells ofBrevibacterium flavum AB-07 was optimised using ethanol as the energy source and -ketobutyric acid (-KB) as precursor.l-valine also could be produced from glucose at high yield by this process. This process differs from the usual fermentation method in that non-growing cells are used, and the production ofl-isoleucine andl-valine were carried out under conditions of repressed cell division and growth. Minimal medium missing the essential growth factor, biotin was employed as the reaction mixture for the production ofl-isoleucine andl-valine. The productivity ofl-isoleucine andl-valine were 200 mmol·l^–1 · day^–1 (molecular yield to -KB: 95%) and 300 mmol · l^–1 · day^–1 (molecular yield to glucose: 80%) respectively. The content ofl-isoleucine andl-valine in total amino acids produced in the each mixture were 97% and 96% respectively.     

Studies on Aspergilli XVI. Effect of pH,temperature, and carbon and nitrogen interaction

Summary The effect of pH, temperature, and carbon and nitrogen interaction on the growth and sporulation ofAspergillus nidulans (Eidam)Wint.,A. rugulosus Thom &Raper,A. variecolor (Berk. &Br.)Thom &Raper andA. quadrilineatus was studied. All the moulds could grow on a wide range of pH (2.0 to 12.0) but the growth was poor on too acid and too alkaline media. Best growth ofA. rugulosus, A. quadrilineatus, andA. violaceus was seen at pH 6.5 and that ofA. nidulans andA. variecolor at pH 7.0. In general maximum production of perithecia was recorded between pH 6.0 and 8.0.All the above species ofAspergillus under study could grow between a temperature range of 10° C–48° C, but the growth was poor at 10° C and 48° C. The present moulds showed good growth at 20° C, 25°C, and 30° C. At 40° CA. nidulans andA. rugulosus showed moderate growth while the rest of the Aspergilli attained good growth. Temperatures between 20° C–30° C favoured excellent perithecial production.In general, little improvement in growth was noted on media containing good carbon and nitrogen sources. Malic acid was found to be useless when supplied singly. But, poor growth was recorded when supplied in combination with amino acids, amide, and peptone. This was due to the fact that these N sources also supplied carbon for their metabolism.     

Fed-batch and continuous fermentation ofSelenomonas ruminantium for natural propionic,acetic and succinic acids

An anaerobic fermentation process was developed for production of natural propionic, acetic and succinic acids froml-lactic acid usingSelenomonas ruminantium. Thel-lactic acid was quickly converted to a racemic mixture and there was no enantiomeric preference for further metabolism. The lactic acid was metabolized to propionic, acetic and succinic acids typically in a molar ratio of about 531. However, the ratio of propionate: succinate started high (as much as 221), before declining to as low as 51 after the first 48 h. Nutrients in corn steep liquor and yeast extract were necessary for optimal production of propionic acid. The corn steep liquor and yeast extract were heat stable at neutral pH, but some nutritional qualities were lost when heated at pH 2.4. In fed-batch fermentation on lactic acid 2.0% propionic acid was produced in 48 h and 2.3% in 68 h. A continuous culture operated at a dilution rate of 0.055 h^–1 and a lactic acid feed concentration of 30 gL^–1 had a propionic acid productivity of 0.59 gL^–1h^–1. The steady state results were: lactic acid 0.6%, propionic acid 1.1%, acetic acid 0.50%, and succinic acid 0.33%.     

Psychrotrophic,lactic acid-producing bacteria from anoxic waters in Ace Lake,Antarctica; Carnobacterium funditum sp. nov. and Carnobacterium alterfunditum sp. nov.

Heterofermentative, lactic acid-producing, gram-positive, motile bacteria were isolated from the waters of Ace Lake, Antarctica. All strains produced virtually only l(+)lactic acid from d(+)glucose. d(–)ribose was fermented to lactic, acetic, and formic acids, and ethanol. Cell walls contained meso-diaminopimaleic acid. The strains did not grow at 30°C and were psychrotrophic. Whole cells contained 18:1cis 9 as a major component of their fatty acids. At 20°C, the strains grew better anaerobically than aerobically and all strains lacked catalase, oxidase and respiratory lipoquinones. DNA that coded for most of the 16S rRNA gene of one of the strains was amplified by the polymerase chain reaction and sequenced. The strain was phylogenetically most closely related to Carnobacterium mobile (K_nuc=0.0214). The isolates separated into two phenotypes. DNA/DNA homology studies determined on a representative from each phenotype showed low homology between the phenotypes (38±8%), and with Carnobacterium mobile (26±2%, 34±2%). Carnobacterium funditum sp. nov. produced acid from mannitol, trehalose, but not amygdalin. The G+C content of the DNA was 32–34%, and the Type strain is DSM 5970 (=ACAM 312). Carnobacterium alterfunditum sp. nov. produced acid weakly from amygdalin but not from mannitol or trehalose. The G+C content was 33–34%, and the Type strain is DSM 5972 (=ACAM 313).