Correlation between calmodulin-like protein, phospholipids, and growth in glucose-grown Mycobacterium phlei.

In Mycobacterium phlei TMC 1548 supplementation of growth medium containing 2% v/v glycerol with glucose (up to 5% w/v) resulted in an increase in growth (yield of cells), in amount of total phospholipids, and in each of the individual phospholipids (cardiolipin, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylinositol and its mannosides, and phosphatidylglycerol). However, when the medium was supplemented with a higher concentration (7.5% w/v) of glucose, both growth and phospholipid levels decreased to near control values (2% v/v glycerol alone). Cyclic AMP levels, which decreased at all concentrations of glucose, had no relation to phospholipid content or growth. The presence of a protein that possesses the property of stimulating c-AMP phosphodiesterase activity was recently demonstrated in Mycobacterium smegmatis (Falah et al. 1988. FEMS Microbiol. Lett. 56: 89-93). In M. phlei the level of this calmodulin-like protein (assayed by radioimmunoassay) changed with different concentrations of glucose in the growth medium in a manner identical with that of phospholipids. We suggest that in mycobacteria (i) intracellular calmodulin-like protein levels are affected by glucose concentration in the growth medium and (ii) there is a positive correlation between the levels of calmodulin-like protein, total and individual phospholipids, and growth (yield of cells) in glucose-grown M. phlei.     

Influence of carbon source on growth,biochemical composition and pigmentation of Ankistrodesmus convolutus

The unicellular chlorophyte Ankistrodesmus convolutus Corda was grown in the light using inorganic medium (Bold's Basal Medium, BBM) and BBM enriched with 0.1% w/v of glucose, sodium acetate, sodium citrate or sodium bicarbonate. Glucose supported the highest specific growth rate (μ = 0.93 d^-1) and gave the highest biomass (453 mg dry weight L^-1) at the time of harvest. Of four glucose concentrations (0.05, 0.1, 0.25, 0.5% w/v), best growth was attained at 0.1% w/v. At 0.5% w/v glucose, the cells had high carbohydrates but low lipids and proteins. The relative amounts of 16:0, 18:0, 18:1 and 18:2 increased at the expense of 18:3(n-3) in the carbon-supplemented cultures and at glucose concentrations higher than 0.1% w/v. Cultures grown on glucose had less chlorophyll and carotenoid contents than cultures grown on other carbon sources. Chlorophyll and carotenoid contents decreased with increasing glucose concentrations in the medium.     

Effect of Type of Carbohydrate on Growth and Protein Synthesis by Tetrahymena pyriformis

SYNOPSIS. In chemically defined media at carbohydrate concentrations ≧ 0.5% (w/v) Tetrahymena pyriformis W multiplied more rapidly, developed larger cells, and achieved greater growth as measured by optical density when carbohydrate was provided as dextrin rather than glucose. In media containing 0.3 mg/ml of amino acid nitrogen, growth increased with glucose concentration from 0.1 to 1%, did not change significantly to 3%, and was sharply inhibited at higher glucose levels. With dextrin, maximum growth paralleled carbohydrate concentration from 0.1 to 3%. At higher N levels the inhibitory concentration of glucose was lowered, but growth in dextrin media was not affected except at N concentrations that were inhibitory independent of carbohydrate source. At 1% carbohydrate levels, total cell protein per ml of culture was 60% greater, protein per cell approximately 50% greater, and cells were 1.5 to 2 times larger in media with dextrin than with glucose. Comparable differences in protein synthesis were observed at 2% carbohydrate levels and efficiency of conversion of substrate-N to protein-N was greater in the medium with dextrin than glucose.
Growth as measured by optical density in media with 0.3 mg/ml of N and 1 or 2% (w/v) of dextrin was not significantly reduced by the simultaneous presence of 1 or 2% glucose. This observation appeared to negate osmotic pressure as an explanation of reduced growth in the presence of glucose. At higher osmolar concentrations osmotic pressure appeared to be a major determinant of overall growth but not of cell size.     

Arabitol accumulation in Geotrichum candidum

Culture conditions which lead to the intracellular accumulation of arabitol and mannitol in Geotrichum candidum were investigated. The accumulation of arabitol was dependent on the concentrations of metabolizable hexoses, the non-metabolizable disaccharide sucrose, NaCl and KCl in the growth medium. In media containing 2% (w/v) glucose, fructose or l-sorbose cultures contained only mannitol after 48 h or 72 h growth. In media containing 10% (w/v) to 30% (w/v) glucose, or 25% (w/v) fructose or l-sorbose there was an increase in the total concentration of intracellular polyol due to the accumulation of arabitol. This pentitol was also found to accumulate intracellularly when the organism was grown in medium containing 34% (w/v) sucrose, 0.7 M NaCl or 0.7 M KCl in addition to 2% (w/v) glucose. Under the conditions tested no change in the accumulation of mannitol or ethanol-soluble carbohydrate, believed to be primarily composed of trehalose, was evident.Intracellular polyol was released during incubation of arthrospores obtained from media containing 25% or 10% glucose, in distilled water at 25° C, but no polyol was released under these conditions from arthrospores obtained from growth in 2% glucose medium.     

Combined solvent and water activity stresses on turgor regulation and membrane adaptation in Oceanimonas baumannii ATCC 700832

Oceanimonas baumannii ATCC 700832 is a Gram negative marine bacterium capable of utilising phenol as a sole carbon source. The ability of the bacterium to tolerate low water activity when utilising either succinate or phenol as a substrate in minimal medium was studied. The membrane lipid and protein composition showed two discreet adaptive phases as salinity increased. Firstly, when NaCl concentration was increased from 0.15% (w/v), the minimum at which growth was observed, to 1% NaCl (w/v), the ratio of zwitterionic to anionic phospholipids in the membrane increased significantly. At the same time the ratio of saturated to unsaturated fatty acids and the total membrane protein decreased significantly. The second phase was observed when salinity was increased from 1% to 7% NaCl (w/v) as the ratio of zwitterionic to anionic phospholipids decreased and membrane protein increased. However, the ratio of saturated to unsaturated fatty acids was unaffected. Salinity also affected the tolerance of cultures to elevated levels of phenol. Cultures grown in 0.15% NaCl (w/v) could tolerate 12 mM phenol, whereas in the presence of 1% NaCl (w/v) cultures continued to grow in up to 20 mM phenol and in 7% NaCl (w/v) cultures 8 mM phenol could be tolerated. Changes to the composition of the membrane phospholipids and fatty acids were also observed when phenol concentrations were at the maximum that could be tolerated. Under such conditions the ratio of zwitterionic to anionic phospholipids decreased twofold compared to cultures utilising 4 mM phenol as the substrate, in all salinities except in 7% NaCl (w/v) cultures, where there was no significant effect. The ratio of saturated to unsaturated fatty acids increased significantly in all salinities compared to cultures grown with 4 mM phenol. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Enantiocomplementary reduction of 3-phenylthiopropan-2-one by Bacillus sp.: effect of medium components

The enantioselectivity of the enzymes responsible for reduction of prochiral compound 3-phenylthiopropan-2-one was dependent on the concentration of yeast extract and glucose in the growth medium. Low concentrations of yeast extract (0.1-0.9% w/v) favored the formation of S-enantiomer (62% ee at 0.1% w/v yeast extract) of 3-phenylthiopropan-2-ol. However, R-enantiomer of the reduced product was formed when MSM was supplemented with yeast extract at a concentration of 1% (w/v) or more with a maximum ee of 85% at 2.0% (w/v) yeast extract supplement in the growth medium.     

Effects of acetic acid and lactic acid on the growth of Saccharomyces cerevisiae in a minimal medium

Specific growth rates (μ) of two strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae decreased exponentially (R ²>0.9) as the concentrations of acetic acid or lactic acid were increased in minimal media at 30°C. Moreover, the length of the lag phase of each growth curve (h) increased exponentially as increasing concentrations of acetic or lactic acid were added to the media. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of acetic acid for yeast growth was 0.6% w/v (100 mM) and that of lactic acid was 2.5% w/v (278 mM) for both strains of yeast. However, acetic acid at concentrations as low as 0.05–0.1% w/v and lactic acid at concentrations of 0.2–0.8% w/v begin to stress the yeasts as seen by reduced growth rates and decreased rates of glucose consumption and ethanol production as the concentration of acetic or lactic acid in the media was raised. In the presence of increasing acetic acid, all the glucose in the medium was eventually consumed even though the rates of consumption differed. However, this was not observed in the presence of increasing lactic acid where glucose consumption was extremely protracted even at a concentration of 0.6% w/v (66 mM). A response surface central composite design was used to evaluate the interaction between acetic and lactic acids on the specific growth rate of both yeast strains at 30C. The data were analysed using the General Linear Models (GLM) procedure. From the analysis, the interaction between acetic acid and lactic acid was statistically significant (P≤0.001), i.e., the inhibitory effect of the two acids present together in a medium is highly synergistic. Journal of Industrial Microbiology & Biotechnology (2001) 26, 171–177. Received 06 June 2000/ Accepted in revised form 21 September 2000     

Effects of sodium chloride on biodegradation of crude oils by two species ofAeromonas

Summary The biodegradation of five weathered crude oils by two species ofAeromonas, (B59-4 and E. BOB) was investigated in varying concentrations of sodium chloride. A minimal salts medium whose NaCl concentration increased serially by 0.5% w/v up to 1.5% w/v was used to investigate the growth of these strains in glucose, and their biodegradation of the crude oils. The latter was also investigated in fresh and aged sea water. Strain B59-4 was more potent than E. BOB in the degradation of all five crude oils and at all four levels of salt concentration tested. The amount of oil degraded by each strain increased initially to a maximum level at 0.5% w/v NaCl, but thereafter decreased with increasing salt concentration, and the patterns were similar to those of aged and fresh sea water, respectively. The Forties and Nigerian crude oils with lower specific gravity, were more readily degraded than the Libyan and Venezuelan with higher specific gravity. The growth of the two strains ofAeromonas in glucose and their biodegradation of crude oils was optimal at 0.5% w/v NaCl, and thereafter decreased with increasing salt concentration of the basal medium.     

Temporal accumulation of mannitol and arabitol in Geotrichum candidum

The temporal depletion and accumulation of polyols were investigated in the fungus Geotrichum candidum. The major intracellular polyols were tentatively identified by paper chromatography as mannitol and arabitol. Inositol was also present in small quantities, and trehalose was also detected in appreciable concentrations.Germination and vegetative growth depended on the type and concentration of the sole exogenous carbon source. Mannitol occurred in arthrospores at 9.4% of the dry weight after several days growth in 2% (w/v) glucose solid medium, and became depleted during germination and vegetative growth in liquid medium containing 2% (w/v) glucose, 2% (w/v) sodium acetate or 25% (w/v) glucose as sole carbon source. This hexitol latter accumulated during arthrosporulation. The depletion and accumulation of ethanol-soluble carbohydrate believed to be primarily trehalose was temporally similar to that of mannitol. Arabitol accumulated intracellularly during germination and vegetative growth in sodium acetate medium and 25% glucose medium. This pentitol was not detected intracellularly at any culture age during growth in 2% glucose medium.Prolonged incubation of the culture in 25% glucose medium after stationary phase was reached resulted in the gradual disappearance of arabitol from the arthrospores simultaneously with an increase in intracellular mannitol. In comparison, ethanol-soluble carbohydrate did not change with prolonged incubation in this medium.     

Microbial hydrogen production with Bacillus coagulans IIT-BT S1 isolated from anaerobic sewage sludge

Bacillus coagulans strain IIT-BT S1 isolated from anaerobically digested activated sewage sludge was investigated for its ability to produce H(2) from glucose-based medium under the influence of different environmental parameters. At mid-exponential phase of cell growth, H(2) production initiated and reached maximum production rate in the stationary phase. The maximal H(2) yield (2.28 mol H(2)/molglucose) was recorded at an initial glucose concentration of 2% (w/v), pH 6.5, temperature 37 degrees C, inoculum volume of 10% (v/v) and inoculum age of 14 h. Cell growth rate and rate of hydrogen production decreased when glucose concentration was elevated above 2% w/v, indicating substrate inhibition. The ability of the organism to utilize various carbon sources for H(2) fermentation was also determined.     

Growth and butyric acid production by Clostridium populeti

The growth of Clostridium populeti in 2% (w/v) glucose medium containing 0.2% (w/v) yeast extract was optimal with 10 mM NH₄Cl as the nitrogen source. Although the maximum specific growth rate (=0.32 h^-1) with 5 mM NH₄Cl was similar, the biomass yield was about 30% lower than that at the optimum. Either sodium sulphide or cysteine-HCl at an optimum concentration of 0.33 mM and 5.0 mM respectively, could serve as the sole sulphur source for growth. The growth rate was unaffected by initial glucose concentrations of up to 10% (w/v), but in the presence of 15% glucose it declined by about 35%. The molar yield of butyric acid (mol/mol glucose) declined from 0.70 in 1% (w/v) initial glucose medium to 0.39 in 10% glucose medium. In 5.7% initial glucose medium, butyric acid levels of 6.3 g/l were obtained (0.56 mol butyrate/mol glucose) after 72 h of incubation in 2.5 l batch cultures. A decrease of about 50% in the maximum specific growth rate of C. populeti was observed in the presence of an initial concentration of either 1.2 g/l of butyric acid or 18.9 g/l of acetic acid.This paper is issued as NRCC No. 29032     

Sucrose concentratidns in the growth medium influence the membrane lipids of Streptococcus mutans

Streptococcus mutans was cultivated in media containing sucrose (10–40%, w/v) and the sucrose induced changes in chemical and physical properties of its membrane lipids were investigated. The degree of unsaturation in the fatty acids of both total lipid and glycolipid fractions decreased when the sucrose concentration was increased. An electron spin resonance spectroscopic study revealed the reduction of membrane lipid fluidity by adding sucrose to the growth medium. Liposomes prepared from membrane lipids of bacteria grown with sucrose showed less osmotic volume changes than those of bacteria grown without sucrose. These results suggest that modification of membrane lipid composition, fluidity and osmosis-resistance have an important role in the ability of Streptococcus mutans to grow in sucrose at high concentrations.     

Ethanol production by Zymomonas mobilis in fed-batch fermentations

The production of ethanol by Zymomonas mobilis NRRL B-4286 was studied in fed-batch cultures. Initial percent (w/v) glucose, rate of feed, and quantity of 50%; (w/v) glucose feed were varied. Glucose inhibition of growth rate occurred at concentrations greater than 8% (w/) Feed was begun after 4 h incubation. Feed volume was ca. 36%; of starting batch volume to get ca. 10%; (w/v) ethanol at harvest. The range of feed rates studied varied from 16%; batch volume/h (glucose concentration increased to an inhibitory level) to 4%; batch volume/h (glucose concentration dropped rapidly to zero and was limiting). Increasing feed volume to 46%; of starting volume at the best feed rate (ca. 10%; feed volume/h) increased final ethanol concentration to 11.3%; (w/v). However, the resultant increase in fermentation time from ca. 21 to 29 h decreased ethanol volumetric productivity from 5.2 to 4.6 g/L h.     

Effects of salinity and replacement of K+ by Na+ on lipid composition in two sugar beet inbred lines

The effects of NaCl and replacement of K⁺ by Na⁺ on the lipid composition of the two sugar beet inbred lines FIA and ADA were studied (a) with increasing additions of NaCl to the basal medium, and (b) with increasing replacement of K⁺ by Na⁺ at the same total concentration as in the basal medium. Direct relations were noted between NaCl concentration of the nutrient solution and the phospholipid concentration in the roots of FIA, the genotype characterized by a low K⁺/Na⁺ ratio, as well as between NaCl in the medium and the phospholipid concentration in the shoots of ADA, the genotype with a high K ⁺/Na ⁺ ratio. The sulfolipid level in the roots of FIA was maintained at higher NaCl concentrations, while it was decreased in ADA. The glycolipid concentration in the shoots of ADA and the degree of unsaturation of the fatty acids of the total lipid fraction were decreased by salinity, indicating reduced biosynthesis of chloroplast glycolipids and/or accelerated oxidation of these lipids in the presence of NaCl.
In the Na⁺ for K⁺ replacement experiment a low content of K⁺ in the medium resulted in decreased levels of total lipids, phospholipids and sulfolipid in the roots of both genotypes, which did not relate to root growth. K⁺-leakage from the roots at low K⁺-level in the medium may be reduced by the increase in saturation of the lipids. In the shoots of ADA increased levels of total lipids, phospholipids and Sulfolipid were noted at a low K⁺-concentration of the nutrient solution.     

Influence of carbon and nitrogen sources on the transition from yeast-like cells to chlamydospores inAureobasidium pullulans

The transition from yeast-like cells to chlamydospores ofAureobasidium pullulans can be induced by growing the microorganism on a glucose medium with a limiting nitrogen source and a low buffer capacity. When glucose is used as the carbon source, a concentration higher than 3% (w/v) is required to induce the transition. On the other hand, growth limiting concentrations of the N source (ammonium sulphate) are not required, and higher concentrations actually stimulate the appearance of chlamydospores. Other N sources, such as glutamate or ammonium phosphate, do not induce the transition from yeast-like cells to chlamydospores.     

Ethanol from Zymomonas,a bacterium

Thirteen isolates ofZymomonas were analyzed for their ability to tolerate increasing concentrations of glucose and ethanol. In medium containing 5.0% (v/v) ethanol, four isolates grew well in 15.0% (w/v) glucose. Six cultures tolerated at least 6,0% ethanol. Of all the isolates, 7 preferred glucose and 4 preferred sucrose as a sugar substrate. In a nutrient medium containing mineral salts and high concentrations of pantothenate and biotin ethanol production for 2 isolates was approximately 7.0%. Continuous stirring and growth factors were responsible for this increased ethanol production.     

Improved production of curdlan with concentrated cells ofAgrobacterium sp.

The addition of a limited concentration of yeast extract to a minimal salt medium (MSM) enhanced cell growth and increased the production of curdlan whereas nitrogenlimitation was found to be essential for the higher production of curdlan byAgrobacterium sp. ATCC 31749. As the amount of the inoculum increased, the cell growth as well as the production of curdlan also increased in the MSM without a nitrogen source. The cell growth and production of curdlan increased as the initial pH of the medium decreased as low as 5.0. The conversion rate and concentration of curdlan from 2% (w/v) glucose in the MSM with concentrated cells under nitrogen deletion was 67% and 13.4 g/L, respectively. The highest conversion rate of curdlan under the conditions optimized in this study was 71% when the glucose concentration was 1% (w/v).     

Metabolism of the Glucosyl Diglycerides and Phosphatidylglucose of Staphylococcus aureus

A glucose containing lipid, phosphatidylglucose (probably 3-sn-phosphatidyl-1'-glucose) and a lipid tentatively identified as phosphatidylethanolamine have been characterized in the lipids of Staphylococcus aureus. These lipids together comprise less than 2% of the total phospholipids of exponentially growing S. aureus and accumulate to 14% of the total phospholipid in stationary-phase cells. These lipids lost no (32)P when cells grown with H(3) (32)PO(4) were transferred to nonradioactive medium during the exponential growth phase. This was in marked contrast to the other phospholipids which lost (32)P rapidly. The loss of (32)P from phosphatidic acid and cardiolipin in exponentially growing cells was biphasic, suggesting heterogeneity of phospholipid phosphate metabolism. The mono- and diglucosyl diglycerides showed a rapid loss of (14)C-glucose during growth in nonradioactive medium but no loss of (14)C from the fatty acids of these lipids. The (14)C in the glucose and fatty acids of the glucosyl diglycerides was derived from glucose.     

Alteration in growth and thylakoid membrane lipid composition of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Azolla caroliniana</Emphasis> under phosphate deficiency

The changes in the fresh biomass accumulation, photosynthetic and anthocyanin pigments, photosystem 2 (PS 2) activity, ultrastructure of chloroplast, total lipids and fatty acid composition of thylakoid membrane were followed in the aquatic fern Azolla caroliniana grown on medium either deficient or supplied with various phosphorus concentrations. The content of photosynthetic pigments and the anthocyanin/chlorophyll ratio increased significantly with increasing PO₄ ³⁻ concentration. Phosphate deficiency inhibited growth and PS 2 activity and decreased content of total lipids and phospholipids in isolated thylakoids. This was accompanied with a significant increase in the percentage of galalactolipids.