Dialysis cultivation of microorganisms as the appropriate model of population control in ecosystem research

Opportunities for application of methods of ecological control of anthropogenic impact on ecosystems have been considered. The biotic approach based on dialysis cultivation of microorganism populations has been suggested in order to evaluate the ecological state of living systems. Dialysis cultures are characterized with a high level of biomass accumulation and considerable extension of exponential and stationary growth phases. The cell state at dialysis cultivation corresponds to the state of the organisms in native nature conditions. The method for analysis of responses from microbe cells on external factors’ influence has been suggested. The method is based on the registration of alterations of time-spatial parameters in cell populations by layer-by-ayer noninvasive analysis using the spectroscopy of internal reflection.     

透析培养

本讨论了有效利用透析技术从发酵液中及时转移低分子杂质混合物,从而获得高密度发酵细胞的方法,章从反应系统、工艺策略、膜相关性能、应用我、生产性放大等方面说明了利用透析技术以达到高浓度细胞发酵的有效性和可靠性。透析技术不仅克服了微孔过滤和超滤中存在的膜孔堵塞弊端,而且如果应用“营养分离”补策略,还可以防止营养物质的损失而使培养基被高效利用,在实验条件下,透析培养的潜力通过两种反应模型进行演示：内置     

Dialysis cultures

Dialysis techniques are discussed as a means for effective removal of low-molecular-mass components from fermentation broth to reach high cell density. Reactor systems and process strategies, the relevant properties of membranes and examples for high-density fermentation with dialysis, and problems related to scale-up are addressed. The dialysis technique has turned out to be very efficient and reliable for obtaining high cell densities. As in dialysis processes the membranes are not perfused, membrane clogging is not a problem as it is for micro- and ultrafiltration. By applying a “nutrient-split” feeding strategy, the loss of nutrients can be avoided and the medium is used very efficiently. The potential of dialysis cultures is demonstrated on the laboratory scale in a membrane dialysis reactor with an integrated membrane and in reactor systems with an external dialysis loop. In dialysis cultures with different microorganisms (Staphylococci, Escherichia coli, extremophilic microorganisms, Lactobacilli) the cell densities achieved were up to 30 times higher than those of other fermentation methods. The technique enables high cell densities to be attained without time-consuming medium optimization. For animal cell cultures the concept of a fixed bed coupled with dialysis proved to be very effective. Received: 24 March 1998 / Received revision: 18 June 1998 / Accepted: 19 June 1998     

Improving an on-line feeding strategy for fed-batch cultures of hybridoma cells by dialysis and `Nutrient-Split'-feeding

The concept of the feeding strategy was to minimise the formation of inhibiting metabolites and to increase the yield of monoclonal antibodies in fed-batch cultures of hybridoma cells by a balanced supply of substrates. A process control system based on fieldbus technology was used for monitoring and control. External program routines were implemented to control dissolved oxygen (DO) and to calculate the oxygen uptake rate (OUR) and cumulative oxygen consumption (COC) simultaneously. A concentrated feed solution was supplied according to the off-line estimated stoichiometric ratio between oxygen and glucose consumption (GC). Feeding was initiated automatically when the OUR decreased due to substrate limitation. The antibody concentration increased three-fold compared to the conventional batch culture by applying this strategy. But it was not possible to avoid inhibition by ammonia during the fed-batch phase. This was accomplished by the use of a dialysis membrane. Dialysis fed-batch cultures were performed in a membrane dialysis reactor with a `nutrient-split' feeding strategy, where concentrated medium is fed to the cells and toxic metabolites are removed into a buffer solution. This resulted in a ten-fold increase of the antibody concentration compared to the batch. Amino acid concentrations were analysed to identify limiting conditions during the cultivation and to analyse the performance of the nutrient supply in the fed-batch and dialysis fed-batch.     

Dynamic Dialysis: An Efficient Technique for Large-Volume Sample Desalting

Dialysis is a well-known technique for laboratory separation. However, its efficiency is commonly restricted by the dialyzer volume and its passive diffusion manner. In addition, the sample is likely to be precipitated and inactive during a long dialysis process. To overcome these drawbacks, a dynamic dialysis method was described and evaluated. The dynamic dialysis was performed by two peristaltic pumps working in reverse directions, in order to drive countercurrent parallel flow of sample and buffer, respectively. The efficiency and capacity of this dynamic dialysis method was evaluated by recording and statistically comparing the variation of conductance from retentate under different conditions. The dynamic method was proven to be effective in dialyzing a large-volume sample, and its efficiency changes proportionally to the flow rate of sample. To sum up, circulating the sample and the buffer creates the highest possible concentration gradient to significantly improve dialysis capacity and shorten dialysis time.     

Preparation ofClostridium septicum antigen for hyperimmunization of horses using a dialyzed culture

The preparation of toxic cultures of Clostridium septicum is described, using an apparatus with a straight dialysis tubing, where the medium is filled both into the nutrition and cultivation space of the apparatus. Using the cultivation to nutrition volume rate 1:2, mean titre of lethal antigen in filtrates 3.86 limes mortis per mL and 300 dosis lethalis minima per Lm was obtained in comparison with the values of 2.22 and 150 respectively in flask filtrates. Native filtrates of dialyzed cultures were better antigens for hyperimmunization of horses than the culture filtrates from flasks.     

Removal of inhibitors of bacterial growth by dialysis culture.

Dialysis culture was used to investigate the extent to which growth inhibition in bacterial cultures may be caused by accumulation of metabolites. Escherichia coli B was grown in a glucose/salts medium. A concentrated nutrient solution was pumped at a constant rate into the growing culture to ensure that growth was not limited by exhaustion of nutrients. In this way the only difference between growth conditions in dialysis and non-dialysis cultures was the transfer of dialysable metabolites from the culture vessel to the reservoir in the dialysis culture system. By adjusting the glucose concentration in the feed and maintaining a constant rate of feeding, glucose-limited growth could be achieved. Under these conditions, with oxygen in excess, bacterial yields of 140 to 150 g dry wt l-1 were obtained in dialysis culture compared with 30 to 40 g l-1 in non-dialysis culture. The high yields in dialysis culture depended on the removal of end-products of glucose metabolism. Growth inhibition was demonstrated to be the result of the combined influence of acetate, lactate, pyruvate, succinate, propionate and isobutyrate in concentrations found at the end of growth in non-dialysis cultures of Escherichia coli B.     

Effect of dialysis or centrifugation on post-thaw motility and fertility of Santa Gertrudis bull semen collected by electroejaculation

Electroejaculated semen from Santa Gertrudis bulls was used to study the effect of centrifugation (600 x g for 5 min) or dialysis [molecular weight cutoff <14,000 Daltons (Da)] on post-thaw motility and on fertility in beef cattle. Analysis of post-thaw motility showed that the main effects (bulls and semen treatment) were significant (P<0.05). Dialysis significantly improved post-thaw motility in four of seven bulls. Initial volume of seminal plasma in the ejaculate was negatively correlated to post-thaw motility (r = -0.73). No significant improvement in post-thaw motility was observed for bulls with high volumes of ejaculate. In a fertility trial, calving rates of heifers synchronized with PGF(2)alpha and inseminated at 72 and 96 h after the second PGF(2)alpha injection with dialyzed or commercial semen were not statistically different (P>0.05; 54.4% vs 55.4%). These results show that dialysis could be used to improve post-thaw motility of electroejaculated bull semen without altering its fertilizing capacity. However, a high initial volume of seminal plasma seems to have a deleterious effect on sperm freezability that cannot be reversed by dialysis.     

Production of Escherichia coli Heat-labile Enterotoxin in Fermenter Dialysis Culture

Production of Escherichia coli heat-labile enterotoxin was investigated with one porcine and one human strain in three different media under different cultivation conditions. Cultivation in aerated fermenters at pH 7·0 yielded 10–20 times more enterotoxin/ml of culture fluid than cultivation in shake flasks. A trypton-yeast extract medium was optimal in fermenter cultures. Comparatively good yields of enterotoxin in fermenters were also obtained in a glucose-salts medium. Continuous feeding of glucose and salts during fermenter cultivation resulted in a lower production of enterotoxin/mg of bacterial cells. Since this decrease in specific yield could be reversed by using dialysis culture, it was concluded that inhibition of toxin formation was due to the accumulation of extracellular low molecular weight metabolites. The highest yield of enterotoxin in dialysis culture was 80 ED₅₀ ml⁻¹ (rabbit jejunal loop test) which is at least eight times more toxin than in ordinary fermenter culture and 80 times more toxin than in shake flask cultures.     

Purification and Properties of Staphylococcal δ-Hemolysin I. Production of δ-Hemolysin

Concentrated preparations of staphylococcal delta-hemolysin were obtained by growing selected hemolytic colonies from the 146P strain of Staphylococcus aureus on dialysis membranes laid over Brain Liver Heart agar plates at 37 C for 20 hr under 10% CO(2) and harvesting the growth from five such membranes in 1.0 ml of deionized distilled water. Incubation in a humid environment facilitated this harvesting procedure. Incubation longer than 40 hr or incubation under CO(2) higher than 10 to 20% gave lower yields of delta-lysin. Addition of a sugar, fermented by the organisms, resulted in lower yields of delta-hemolysin. Agar, although separated from the growing cells by the dialysis membrane, did potentiate delta-hemolysin production. Addition of 0.1% agar to the inoculum further enhanced this potentiation. delta-Hemolysin produced in broth or semisolid cultures was excessively diluted with the media. Dialysis membranes prevented this dilution and thus yielded concentrated preparations of delta-hemolysin.     

Enhanced plasmid production in miniaturized high-cell-density cultures of Escherichia coli supported with perfluorinated oxygen carrier

A simple method for plasmid minipreps in closed 1.5 mL microcentrifuge tubes using a cultivation medium with internal substrate delivery (EnBase^®) in combination with a two-phase perfluorodecalin (PFD) system supplying additional oxygen to the E. coli culture is described. The procedure can simply be performed on a thermoshaker using only 50 μL cultivation volume. Twenty and twenty-five percent higher cell densities and plasmid concentration, respectively, were obtained with the additional oxygen delivery system when compared to cultures without PFD. Compared to standard 2 mL LB cultures ninefold higher cell densities and eightfold higher plasmid concentrations were achieved for the smaller culture volume. The μL-scale cultures can be directly utilized in further plasmid purification without any centrifugation step or the subsequent removal of the supernatant. This simplifies the routine procedure considerably. Furthermore, the new method is very robust considering the time of cultivation. Highest plasmid concentrations were already obtained after only 6 h of cultivation, but the plasmid concentration remained high (87 % of the maximum) even until 8 h of cultivation. Aside from the advantage of this method for the daily routine, we believe that it could also be applied to automated high-throughput processes.     

Dialysis Fermentor Systems for Concentrated Culture of Microorganisms

Cell-mass production of Serratia marcescens was studied in dialysis systems in which growth was managed in a fermentor remote from, but connected by conduits and pumps with, a nutrient reservoir. Dialysis was accomplished with membrane tubing in either the fermentor or the reservoir, or best with membrane sheet in a plate-and-frame dialyzer that was remote from but connected with both vessels. Growth trials with these systems demonstrated their ability to produce virtually unlimited population density in a liquid culture, viable counts in excess of 10 cells/ml and partial cell volume of 50% being attained. The system used for growth also may be used, after the growth cycle, to concentrate cells still further by osmotic dehydration with a hydrophilic colloid. The dialyzer-dialysis system that was evolved permits independent control of the component operations and is believed to be adaptable to any desired scale of size.     

Dialysis Membrane Technique for Studying Microbial Interaction

A dialysis membrane method is described which allows (i) cultivation of fungi on an agar support, (ii) observation of growth and development by direct light microscopy, (iii) transfer of cultures from agar surfaces for subsequent treatments or for biochemical analysis, and (iv) preparation for scanning electron microscopy. The method is used routinely in studies of fungus-nematode and fungus-fungus interactions.     

Performance of a membrane-dialysis bioreactor with a radial-flow fixed bed for the cultivation of a hybridoma cell line

A bioreactor system for the continuous cultivation of animal cells with a high potential for scale-up is presented. This reactor system consists of radial-flow fixed-bed units coupled with a dialysis module. The dialysis membrane enables the supply of low-molecular-weight nutrients and removal of toxic metabolites, while high-molecular-weight nutrients and products (e.g. monoclonal antibodies) are retained and accumulated. This concept was investigated on the laboratory scale in a bioreactor with an integrated dialysis membrane. The efficiency of the reactor system and the reproducibility of the cell activity (hybridoma cells) under certain process conditions could be demonstrated in fermentations up to 77 days. Based on model calculations, an optimized fermentation strategy was formulated and experimentally confirmed. Compared to chemostat cultures with suspended cells, a ten-times higher mAb concentration (383 mgl⁻¹) could be obtained. The highest volumetric specific mAb production rate determined was 6.1 mg mAb (1 fixed bed)⁻¹ h⁻¹.     

Assessment of Cultivation Factors that Affect Biomass and Geraniol Production in Transgenic Tobacco Cell Suspension Cultures

A large-scale statistical experimental design was used to determine essential cultivation parameters that affect biomass accumulation and geraniol production in transgenic tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum cv. Samsun NN) cell suspension cultures. The carbohydrate source played a major role in determining the geraniol yield and factors such as filling volume, inoculum size and light were less important. Sucrose, filling volume and inoculum size had a positive effect on geraniol yield by boosting growth of plant cell cultures whereas illumination of the cultures stimulated the geraniol biosynthesis. We also found that the carbohydrates sucrose and mannitol showed polarizing effects on biomass and geraniol accumulation. Factors such as shaking frequency, the presence of conditioned medium and solubilizers had minor influence on both plant cell growth and geraniol content. When cells were cultivated under the screened conditions for all the investigated factors, the cultures produced ∼5.2 mg/l geraniol after 12 days of cultivation in shaking flasks which is comparable to the yield obtained in microbial expression systems. Our data suggest that industrial experimental designs based on orthogonal arrays are suitable for the selection of initial cultivation parameters prior to the essential medium optimization steps. Such designs are particularly beneficial in the early optimization steps when many factors must be screened, increasing the statistical power of the experiments without increasing the demand on time and resources.     

Production and separation of manganese peroxidase from heme amended yeast cultures

A method for the production and concentration of the lignin-degrading enzyme, manganese peroxidase (rMnP), was developed using the yeast Pichia pastoris in high cell density, fed-batch cultivations. A gene encoding manganese peroxidase (mnp1) from the white-rot fungus Phanerochaete chrysosporium was cloned into a protease deficient (pep4-) strain of the methylotrophic yeast P. pastoris. Heme is an important cofactor for active rMnP production, and amendment of yeast cultures with heme increased active rMnP concentrations. In both shake-flasks and fed-batch bioreactors, the relationship between heme concentration and rMnP activity was logarithmic, with increasing heme concentrations resulting in progressively lesser increases in enzyme activity. Scale-up from shake-flasks to 2 L fed-batch cultivations increased rMnP activities from 200 U/L to 2,500 U/L, with addition of 0.1 g/L heme (added heme per liquid volume) at the beginning of the fed-batch phase resulting in higher enzyme activities than addition at the beginning of the batch phase. A combination of centrifugation, acetone precipitation, dialysis, and freeze drying was found to be effective for concentrating the rMnP from 2,500 U/L in the P. pastoris bioreactor culture to 30,000 U/L in 0.1 M potassium phosphate buffer pH 6. The rMnP recovery yield was 60% and the purity was 1-4%. By using 0.1 g/L heme during the fed-batch cultivation, the heme content of the final enzyme preparation could be reduced by 97%, and had sufficiently high rMnP activity and low enough color to be suitable for pulp bleaching experiments.     

Studies on production of ajmalicine in shake flasks by multiple shoot cultures of Catharanthus roseus

The effects of different concentrations of indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) and benzyladenine (BA) on production of ajmalicine by multiple shoot cultures of Catharanthus roseus (C. roseus) were studied. By supplementing Murashige and Skoog's (MS) medium with a high concentration of IAA (11.42 microM) and a low concentration of BA (2.22 microM), shoot cultures accumulated high levels of ajmalicine. When culture medium was fortified with a low concentration of IAA (2.85 microM) and a high concentration of BA (8.90 microM), shoots released high levels of ajmalicine into the culture medium. Quantification of ajmalicine was performed by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The highest concentration of ajmalicine production (0.166% dry wt) was obtained by shoot cultures grown in MS medium containing IAA (11.42 microM) on 20 days of cultivation. Shoot cultures accumulated ajmalicine 4.2-fold more in IAA (11.42 microM) supplemented medium compared with the high concentration of BA (8.90 microM). The content of ajmalicine concentration in the medium was quantified. Shoot cultures grown in BA (8.90 microM) supplemented medium released the maximum production of ajmalicine (0.853 g/L) into the culture medium after 15 days of cultivation. The experimental data show that the secretion of ajmalicine was 2-fold more into the culture medium supplemented with a high concentration of BA compared to that with a low concentration of BA. Data presented here show that production of ajmalicine by shoot cultures is not correlated with growth rate. Dimeric indole alkaloids vincristine and vinblastine were not present in shoot cultures. Ajmalicine production by shoot cultures was 2.4-fold higher compared to leaves of 1-year-old naturally grown plants.     

In vivo intracellular cytokine production by leukocytes during haemodialysis

Several chronic inflammatory changes undergone during chronic haemodialysis are associated with increased pro-inflammatory cytokine production. Although generation of anaphylatoxins has been incriminated in the untoward effects of haemodialysis, it is still debated whether anaphylatoxins stimulate monocyte secretion of TNF-alpha and IL-1. We demonstrate that peripheral mononuclear cells isolated from healthy controls and cultured with complement-activated autologous serum or recombinant C5a induced high levels of IL-1, IL-1ra, IL-8 and MCP-1, low levels of TNFalpha and sTNFRII but no IL-10 and MIP-1alpha. Cytokine production by leukocytes was investigated by FACS analysis in six patients dialysed consecutively with three equivalent low permeability membranes known to activate the complement to different degrees: polysulfone (F6HPS), cellulose acetate (CA) and cuprophane (CP). Percentage of leukocytes expressing IL-1, IL-1ra, TNF-alpha and IL-8 is increased in patients dialysed with CP. Moreover, we show for the first time that haemodialysis is associated with the production of cytokines by circulating neutrophils. Predialysis plasma levels of MCP-1 and TNFRII did not increase during the dialysis session at the time when anaphylatoxin generation was highest. Dialysis with membranes that activate the complement to a high extent induce activation of leukocytes which may explain chronic complications associated with dialysing with CP.     

Effects of oxygen volumetric mass transfer coefficient on transglutaminase production by Bacillus circulans BL32

The effects of oxygenation in cultures of Bacillus circulans BL32 on transglutaminase (TGase) production and cell sporulation were studied by varying the agitation speed and the volume of aeration. Kinetics of cultivations has been studied in batch systems using a 2 L bioreactor, and the efficiency of agitation and aeration was evaluated through the oxygen volumetric mass transfer coefficient (k_La). It was adopted a two-stage aeration rate control strategy: first stage to induce biomass formation, followed by a second stage, in which cell sporulation was stimulated. A correlation of TGase production, spores formation, and oxygen concentration was established. Under the best conditions (500 rpm; 2 vvm air flow, followed by no air supply during stationary phase; k_La of 33.7 h⁻¹), TGase production reached a volumetric production of 589 U/L after 50 h of cultivation and the enzyme yield was 906 U/g cells. These values are 61% higher than that obtained in shaker cultures and TGase productivity increased 82%, when k_La varied from 4.4 to 33.7 h⁻¹. The maximal cell concentration increased four times in relation to shaker cultures and the cultivation time for the highest TGase activity was reduced from 192 h to just 50 h. These results show the importance of bioprocess design for the production of microbial TGase, especially concerning the oxygen supply of cultures and the induction of cell sporulation.     

Simultaneous measurement of ethylene and CO2 production and of O2 consumption in soil and pure microbial cultures

Summary The method described here makes it possible to determine gaseous and volatile compounds produced by stationary and shaken cultures of microorganisms, and by soil samples. In a closed system oxygen consumed by a biological sample is electrolytically replenished and CO₂ produced is trapped in a KOH solution. Oxygen from the electrolyzer was replenished through a distribution bottle with the aid of a system of polyethylene tubings equipped with injection needles at both ends. The amount of the oxygen consumed is permanently reflected by volume of the electrolytically released hydrogen. The reverse flow of atmosphere from the cultivation flasks was prevented by a liquid seal formed by a KOH solution or the cultivation medium itself. Suba-seal type flasks (125 ml) with rubber caps served for the cultivation. Glass cylinders placed inside cultivation flasks or penicillin flasks (20 ml) connected with cultivation flasks by polyethylene tubings served as adsorption vessels. By exchanging the KOH solution it is possible to follow CO₂ production even during individual cultivation phases. Volatile acids adsorbed in the KOH solution could be determined after their release by mineral acid. Samples of atmosphere were analyzed by gas chromatography. The whole system had to be temperature equilibrated.