Evaluation of a new chromogenic agar medium for isolation and identification of Group B streptococci

AIMS: To evaluate a new chromogenic agar as a screening medium for the isolation of Group B streptococci from high vaginal swabs from pregnant women. METHODS AND RESULTS: The medium was evaluated with 195 high vaginal swabs referred for antenatal screening and compared with blood agar and Granada medium. The new chromogenic medium showed 100% sensitivity for the detection of Group B streptococci, and also showed a positive predictive value of 100%. Granada medium also showed excellent sensitivity and specificity and both media were superior to blood agar. CONCLUSIONS: The new chromogenic medium showed excellent performance for the detection of Group B streptococci from clinical samples. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: This is the first chromogenic medium described for the detection of Group B streptococci. The medium offers an effective and convenient alternative to conventional media, currently used in clinical laboratories.     

酵母浸出粉在奈瑟脑膜炎双球菌培养中的比较观察

目的探索A群,C群奈瑟脑膜炎双球菌(简称流脑)多糖疫苗生产中奈瑟脑膜炎双球菌培养的最适培养基。方法在培养基配制中用增减酵母浸出粉的方法制备相应的培养基,8h收菌,通过菌体的收获量并参考多糖量来确定较好的培养基配比。结果不同培养基用于A群、C群奈瑟脑膜炎菌培养8h后均有收获,其中2号培养基(酵母浸出粉)培养的菌体的浓度明显高于1号和3号培养基,它们之间有显著性差异(P<0.05)此种培养基能提高奈瑟脑膜炎双球菌的产量。结论添加酵母浸出粉的培养基可作为A群、C群奈瑟脑膜炎双球菌培养的最适培养基。     

A basal-defined medium for the study of proteolytic activity of Serratia marcescens.

A simple defined basal medium is presented for the study of proteolytic activity, induction and repression, and protease purification with Serratia marcescens. Since the medium contains no protein, it does not interfere with or present artifact to protein assays, column chromatography, or electrophoresis. The medium consists of the basal salts and buffer medium of Bromke and Hammel (1979) plus a carbon-energy source such as glycerol, calcium chloride for the cation requirement for protease activity, and an amino acid, preferably leucine. Growth parameters and proteolytic activities are presented for unsupplemented medium and for the medium supplemented with each of 18 amino acids. Unsupplemented medium completes the logarithmic phase in 12.5 h of incubation and has a constitutive level of proteolytic activity. Supplementation with any amino acid, except cysteine and tryptophan, increases significantly the proteolytic activity, but has a varied effect on growth parameters.     

Growth of mouse plasmacytoma cells in serum-free, hormone-supplemented medium: procedure for the determination of hormone and growth factor requirements for cell growth

The procedure of analyzing hormone and growth factor requirements for the growth of MPC-11 cells and of developing a serum-free medium for this cell line has been described. In this medium, MPC-11 cells grow as fast as in serum-supplemented medium, up to 50 generation. MPC-11 cells grown in serum-supplemented medium secrete IgG_2b and K light chain into the medium as they do in serum-containing medium.     

Optimization of culture medium composition for cellulolytic bacteria by mathematical methods

The culture medium composition for cellulolytic bacteria growing on sugar cane wastes was optimized. A modified method of Rosenbrock was employed for shaker culture medium and a factorial plan design for fermentor culture medium optimization. A much more economical and productive medium was obtained for the production of single cell protein (SCP). A biomass concentration of 4.3 g/L was obtained in the optimized medium in batch fermentation, in comparison with 2.8 g/L previously obtained in the traditional medium under similar conditions.     

Medium for presumptive identification of Yersinia enterocolitica.

A medium, lysine-arginine-iron agar, was developed for the presumptive identification of Yersinia enterocolitica isolates. This medium was a modification of lysine-iron agar and allowed for the testing of five biochemical characteristics in a single tube medium. The reactions of Y. enterocolitica on this medium were reliable and distinctive. The medium significantly simplified the identification of Y. enterocolitica isolates.     

桃花粉离体萌发和花粉管生长特性研究

采用花粉离体萌发法研究不同培养基组分和培养条件对桃花粉萌发和花粉管生长的影响,同时对不同贮藏温度下的桃花粉寿命进行研究.结果表明:固体培养基与液体培养基对桃的花粉萌发率和花粉管长度影响差异不显著;10%蔗糖是大多数桃品种花粉的最适萌发条件;硼能提高桃花粉的萌发率,但对花粉管的生长没有促进作用;桃花粉在20℃～25℃的培养温度下萌发率最高,花粉管最长;桃花粉萌发率和花粉管长度在培养前3 h内上升最快,3～5 h上升趋势减弱,5 h后基本停止;随着贮藏温度的升高和贮藏时间的延长,花粉生活力呈降低的趋势.     

Lack of function of histamine H1 and muscarinic acetylcholine receptors of mouse neuroblastoma cells grown in serum-free medium

Summary Mouse neuroblastoma cells (Clone N1E-115) were grown in serum-free (defined) medium, defined medium supplemented with serum, and control medium to determine whether serum-free medium could substitute for serum-containing medium in our studies of the histamine H₁ and muscarinic acetylcholine receptors of these cells. The function of these receptors as determined by measurement of receptor-mediated cyclic [³H]GMP formation was absent in cells grown in serum-free medium and increased as the percentage of serum was increased in the defined medium, but never attained the levels found with control cells. Muscarinic receptor number for cells grown in defined medium was 60% above that found for control cells with no change in the affinity of the receptor for the radioligand (−)[³H]quinuclidinyl benzilate. Guanylate cyclase and acetylcholinesterase activities for cells grown in defined medium were 23 and 66% of those found in control cells, respectively. This marked reduction of guanylate cyclase activity in large part explains the lack of function of these receptors. Supported by Mayo Foundation and U.S. Public Health Service Grants MH27692, DA1490, and AA4443.     

Serum-Free Suspension Culture of MDCK Cells for Production of Influenza H1N1 Vaccines

Development of serum-free suspension cell culture processes is very important for influenza vaccine production. Previously, we developed a MDCK suspension cell line in a serum-free medium. In the present study, the growth kinetics of suspension MDCK cells and influenza virus production in the serum-free medium were investigated, in comparison with those of adherent MDCK cells in both serum-containing and serum-free medium. It was found that the serum-free medium supported the stable subculture and growth of both adherent and suspension cells. In batch culture, for both cell lines, the growth kinetics in the serum-free medium was comparable with those in the serum-containing medium and a commercialized serum-free medium. In the serum-free medium, peak viable cell density (VCD), haemagglutinin (HA) and median tissue culture infective dose (TCID₅₀) titers of the two cell lines reached 4.51×10⁶ cells/mL, 2.94Log₁₀(HAU/50 μL) and 8.49Log₁₀(virions/mL), and 5.97×10⁶ cells/mL, 3.88Log₁₀(HAU/50 μL), and 10.34Log₁₀(virions/mL), respectively. While virus yield of adherent cells in the serum-free medium was similar to that in the serum-containing medium, suspension culture in the serum-free medium showed a higher virus yield than adherent cells in the serum-containing medium and suspension cells in the commercialized serum-free medium. However, the percentage of infectious viruses was lower for suspension culture in the serum-free medium. These results demonstrate the great potential of this suspension MDCK cell line in serum-free medium for influenza vaccine production and further improvements are warranted.     

Factors influencing the release of proteins by cultured schwann cells

Cultured rat schwann cells grown in association with sensory neurons when labeled with [(3)H]leucinem, [(3)H]glucosamine, or [(35)S]methionine release labeled polypeptides into the culture medium. Analysis by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) of the culture medium reveals a reproducible pattern of more than 20 polypeptides with molecular weights ranging from 15,000 to more than 250,000. Five major polypeptides (apparent molecular weights 225,000, 210,000, 90,000, 66,000, 50,000, and 40,000) account for approximately 40 percent of the leucine or methionine radioactivity in medium polypeptide. Schwann cells grown in a serum-free defined medium, in which schwann cells do not relate normally to axons, release approximately four times less labeled medium polypeptides tha cultures grown in medium supplemented with serum and chick embryo extract. In addition, there is a qualitative difference in the pattern of medium polypeptides resolved by SDS-PAGE, so that a single polypeptide (mol wt 40,000) accounts for nearly all of the label in medium polypeptides. Switching of cultures grown in defined medium to supplemented medium for 2 d results in a fourfold increase in the amount of labeled polypeptides appearing in the culture medium, and a return to the normal pattern of medium polypeptides appearing in the culture medium, and a return to the normal pattern of medium polypeptides as resolved by SDS-PAGE. This change in the pattern of polypeptides release by schwann cells is accompanied by changes in the association between schwann cells and axons. An early step in the establishment of normal axon-schwann cell relations appears to be an inward migration of schwann cells into axonal bundles and spreading of schwann cells along neurites. These changes are evident within 48 h after medium shift. Our results thus suggest that the release of proteins by schwann cells may be important for the development of normal axonal ensheathment.     

香果树茎段和叶片的组织培养

以香果树（Emmenopterys henryi Oliv．）实生苗带芽茎段和叶片为外植体进行组织培养。结果表明,香果树带芽茎段愈伤组织的最适诱导培养基为含有1．0mg·L^-1～6-BA和0．01mg·L^-1 NAA的MS培养基,愈伤组织诱导率达100％;愈伤组织分化的最适培养基为添加2．0mg·L^-1KT和0．01mg·L^-1 NAA的MS培养基;在含有1．0mg．L^-1～6-BA和0．1mg·L^-1 NAA的MS培养基上,叶片诱导不定芽的效果较好,诱导率可达80％;在含有2．0mg．L^-1 KT和0．1mg·L^-1 NAA的MS培养基上,不定芽的增殖系数可达3—4;以含有1．5mg·L^-1 IBA的1／2MS培养基为生根培养基,香果树试管苗生根率达72．73％。移栽至大田后,香果树试管苗的成活率达到30％。     

The growth requirements of BHK-21 cells in serum-free culture

A serum-free medium for serial culture of baby hamster kidney cell line 21 (BHK-21) as container-adherent cells was developed. The medium is a 1:1 (v/v) mixture of Dulbecco's modified Eagle's medium and Ham's F-12 medium supplemented with fibroblast growth factor, fibronectin, insulin, oleic acid (preincubated with fatty-acid-free bovine serum albumin as carrier), and transferrin. The fibronectin was required for cell adherence, the other factors for optimal cell multiplication. When cell input was greater than about 1,900 cells/cm², this serum-free medium supported cell multiplication at a rate approximately equal to the rate in medium with 10% serum. At lower cell input, growth in the serum-free medium was poor unless it was supplemented with serum-free medium which had been conditioned by BHK-21 cells. The conditioned medium contained a factor(s) which enabled or stimulated cell multiplication.     

实验室薄口螨的大量培养及休眠体的诱导

用玉米粉培养基、BY(牛肉膏+酵母膏)软琼脂培养基、BY培养液3种培养基对实验室薄口螨(Histiostoma laboratorium)进行了培养。其最适培养基是玉米粉培养基;该螨在BY软琼脂培养基上也能生长,但生长速度比较缓慢,经过BY软琼脂培养基的培养,能够收集到大量干净的个体,为DNA提取和分子生物学研究提供了方便;在BY培养液中,实验室薄口螨不能进行继代生长,但能够产生大量的卵,可收集卵做更进一步的深入研究。休眠体是该螨生活史中的重要阶段,是借助携播者进行传播的特殊形式。对孳生于培养有果蝇的玻璃指管中的实验室薄口螨产生的休眠体及其在果蝇体表的吸附状况进行了观察,利用较高温度(30～35℃)培养基逐步干燥、较低温度(10～15℃)、BY液体培养3种方法,可以诱导该螨休眠体集中大量地形成,方便收集休眠体,是对其进行生理生化、基因表达、疾病传播机理等方面研究的先决条件。     

Long-Term Survival of Leptospira in a Biphasic Culture Medium Containing Charcoal

A comparison was made of the survival of 28 leptospiral serotypes in Fletcher semisolid medium and in the same medium containing a basal layer of Fletcher medium plus 0.7% of agar and 0.5% of activated animal charcoal. A year after culture, more motile leptospires were observed by microscope examination in the biphasic medium. Two years after culture, 4 serotypes grown in the biphasic medium and 11 in Fletcher medium did not show motile cells. Nineteen of the serotypes maintained in Fletcher medium and 25 in the biphasic medium for 2 years grew on subculture into Fletcher medium. Subcultures from the biphasic medium showed the characteristic leptospiral ring growth earlier during the incubation period.     

Effect of room fluorescent light on the deterioration of tissue culture medium.

A major cause of tissue culture medium deterioration is exposure to room fluorescent light. Riboflavin and tryptophan present in Dulbecco's modified Eagle's minimum essential medium, when exposed to light, yield toxic photoproducts responsible for loss of the ability of the medium to support clonal growth of human, mouse and Chinese hamster cell lines. Procedures for minimizing medium deterioration are discussed.     

A modified Tanabe-Chiba medium for detection of Entamoeba histolytica

Tanabe-Chiba's (T-C) medium, which has been routinely used for detection of Entamoeba histolytica in feces in Japan, was modified by adding some commercially available enrichments to the liquid part and by eliminating the agar slant. This is tentatively called M medium. M medium and T-C medium were compared for their efficiency for detecting E. histolytica in the feces of monkeys. No significant difference in the detection rate was found between the two media. However the rate of multiplication of the amoebae in M medium was significantly higher than that in T-C medium within the limited time of 24-48 h of cultivation.     

响应面设计法优化蕨渣基质的灵芝培养条件

探索灵芝在以蕨渣为主要成分的固态基质中的培养条件,可为蕨渣的开发利用提供理论依据。以蕨渣为主要原料,采用响应面法对灵芝培养条件（基质蕨渣比例、基质含水量和培养温度）进行优化。结果表明,基质蕨渣比例、基质含水量和培养温度对灵芝菌丝日平均生长速率均有极显著的影响（p<0.01）,且基质含水量与培养温度之间、基质蕨渣比例与基质含水量之间存在交互作用。优化出灵芝培养条件为蕨渣比例85%,基质含水量62.5%,培养温度27℃,在此条件下,灵芝菌丝日平均生长速率为3.48mm/d。多元回归分析结果显示,基质蕨渣比例、基质含水量、培养温度与菌丝日平均生长速率之间回归模型高度显著,可用于实际生产预测。首次报道了利用蕨渣培养灵芝,为蕨渣进一步的开发研究奠定基础。     

L-缬氨酸发酵培养基的神经网络建模与遗传算法优化

运用神经网络对L-缬氨酸发酵培养基组成进行建模,在神经网络模型的基础上采用遗传算法对培养基组成进行优化,得到最佳发酵培养基组成.结果表明,运用神经网络并结合遗传算法是一种行之有效的优化方法.按最佳发酵培养基组成进行发酵实验64h,可在发酵液中积累L-缬氨酸28.5g/L.     

Elemental balancing of biomass and medium composition enhances growth capacity in high-density Chlorella vulgaris cultures

The basic requirements for high-density photoautotrophic microalgal cultures in enclosed photobioreactors are a powerful light source and proper distribution of light, efficient gas exchange, and suitable medium composition. This article introduces the concept of balancing the elemental composition of growth medium with biomass composition to obtain high-density cultures. N-8 medium, commonly used for culturing Chlorella vulgaris was evaluated for its capacity to support high-density cultures on the basis of elemental stoichiometric composition of C. vulgaris. This analysis showed that the N-8 medium is deficient in iron, magnesium, sulfur, and nitrogen at high cell densities. N-8 medium was redesigned to contain stoichiometrically balanced quantities of the four deficient elements to support a biomass concentration of 2% (v/v). The redesigned medium, called M-8 medium, resulted in up to three- to fivefold increase in total chlorophyll content per volume of culture as compared to N-8 medium. Further experiments showed that addition of each of the four elements separately to N-8 medium did not improve culture performance and that balanced supplementation of all four deficient elements was required to yield the improved performance. Long-term (24 d) C. vulgaris culture in M-8 medium showed continuous increase in chlorophyll content and biomass throughout the period of cultivation. In contrast, the increase in chlorophyll content and biomass ceased after 7 and 12 d, respectively in N-8 medium, demonstrating the higher capacity of M-8 medium to produce biomass. Thus, the performance of high cell density photobioreactors can be significantly enhanced by proper medium design. The elemental composition of the biomass generated is an appropriate basis for medium design.     

Development of a serum-free medium for the production of erythropoietin by suspension culture of recombinant Chinese hamster ovary cells using a statistical design.

In order to develop a serum-free (SF) medium for the production of erythropoietin (EPO) by suspension culture of recombinant Chinese hamster ovary (rCHO) cells, a statistical optimization approach based on a Plackett-Burman design was adopted. A basal medium was prepared by supplementing Iscove's modified Dulbecco's medium (IMDM) with Fe(NO3)3.9H2O, CuCl2 and ZnSO4.7H2O which are generally contained in SF medium formulations. Insulin, transferrin and ethanolamine were also supplemented to the basal medium to determine their optimal concentrations. From this statistical analysis, glutamate, serine, methionine, phosphatidylcholine, hydrocortisone and pluronic F68 were identified as positive determinants for cell growth. The SF medium was formulated by supplementing the basal medium with components showing positive effects on cell growth in suspension culture. An EPO titer in this optimized SF medium was 79% of that in IMDM supplemented with 5% dialyzed fetal bovine serum (dFBS). Furthermore, the in vitro and in vivo biological activities of EPO produced in the SF medium were comparable to those produced in the serum-supplemented medium. Taken together, the results obtained here show that a Plackett-Burman design facilitates the development of SF media for the production of EPO by suspension culture of rCHO cells.