Lactose continuous fermentation with cells recycled by ultrafiltration and lactate separation by electrodialysis: model identification

Summary An off-line parameter estimation method has been developed to predict the dynamic behaviour of a continuous lactose fermentation system. The model used is an unstructured model taking into account cell growth, substrate consumption, and metabolite production (lactic acid). This method, based on the Hooke-Jeeves non-linear-programming technique, results in a good estimation of the biological parameters of the model, and so gives a better understanding of the different phenomena involved in lactose fermentation.Nomenclature Cp, Cs, Cz, Dp, Ds, Dz coefficients in system (A) - Fe bioreactor influent flow rate (1/h) - I current in the ED unit (A) - J lactate flux in the ED unit (g/h) - Kd mortality constant (h^-1) - Kp product inhibition constant (g/l) - Ks strbstrate saturation constant (g/l) - P ₀ product concentration in the bioreactor (g/l) - P ₁ product concentration in the D tank (g/l) - P _0r estimation of P ₀ (g/l) - Q ₀ retentate flow rate (UF influent) (1/h) - Q ₁ permeate flow rate (1/h) - Q ₂₂ cell bleed flow rate (1/h) - Q ₃ recycling flow rate in the ED (influent) (1/h) - Se substrate concentration in the influent (g/l) - S ₀ supstrate concentration in the bioreactor (g/l) - S ₁ substrate concentration in tank D (g/l) - S _0r estimation of S ₀ (g/l) - t time (h) - V ₀ fermentation broth volume (1) - V ₁ tank D volume (1) - X ₀ biomass concentration in the bioreactor (g/l) - Y _P/S (=1/Y _S/P) lactic acid yield coefficient (g lactic acid/g lactose consumed) - Y _X/S (=1/Y _S/X) cell yield coefficient (g cells produced/g lactose consumed) - Y _X/Z (=1/Y _Z/X) second cell yield coefficient (g cells produced/g nitrogen consumed) - Y _x, Y _m input mathematical parameters of the linear system (M ₂) - Ze nitrogen concentration in the influent (g/l) - Z ₀ nitrogen concentration in the bioreactor (g/l) - Z ₁ nitrogen concentration in tank D (g/l) - Z _0r estimation of Z ₀ (g/l) - , constants of the Luedeking and Piret's model - specific growth rate (h^-1) - _max maximum specific growth rate (h^-1)     

Hypoglycaemic effect of metformin in genetically obese (fa/fa) rats results from an increased utilization of blood glucose by intestine.

The insulin-resistant obese fa/fa rat is a convenient model in which to study a potential effect of metformin, a biguanide used in the treatment of non-insulin-dependent diabetes, on insulin-mediated glucose utilization. Female fa/fa rats were given metformin orally for 8 days. Studies were performed on anaesthetized post-absorptive rats 5 h after the last dose of metformin. Glucose production and utilization were enhanced 1.5-fold in metformin-treated rats. The enhanced glucose production was almost entirely due to increased glucose recycling. The digestive tract was the only tissue responsible for the enhanced glucose utilization.     

The pharmacology of L-670,596, a potent and selective thromboxane/prostaglandin endoperoxide receptor antagonist

L-670,596 ((-)6,8-difluoro-9-rho-methylsulfonyl benzyl-1,2,3,4- tetrahydrocarbazol-1-yl-acetic acid) has been shown to be a potent receptor antagonist as evidenced by the inhibition of the binding of 125I-labeled PTA-OH to human platelets (IC50, 5.5 x 10(-9) M), inhibition of U-44069 induced aggregation of human platelet rich plasma (IC50, 1.1 x 10(-7) M), and competitive inhibition of contractions of the guinea pig tracheal chain induced by U-44069 (pA2,9.0). The compound was also active in vivo as shown by inhibition of arachidonic acid and U-44069 induced bronchoconstriction in the guinea pig (ED50 values, 0.04 and 0.03 mg/kg i.v., respectively), U44069 induced renal vasoconstriction in the pig (ED50, 0.02 mg/kg i.v.), and inhibition of ex vivo aggregation of rhesus monkey platelets to U-44069 (active 1-5 mg/kg p.o.). The selectivity of the compound was indicated by the failure to inhibit, first, ADP-induced human or primate platelet aggregation and, second, bronchoconstriction in the guinea pig in vivo and contraction of the guinea pig tracheal chain in vitro to a variety of agonists. It is concluded that L-670,596 is a potent, selective, orally active thromboxane A2/prostaglandin endoperoxide receptor antagonist.     

The spore coat of a fucosylation mutant in Dictyostelium discoideum

Strain HL250 of Dictyostelium discoideum cannot convert GDP-mannose to GDP-fucose, resulting in an inability to fucosylate protein. This affects a group of proteins which are normally fucosylated intracellularly and then secreted via prespore vesicles to become part of the outer lamina of the spore coat. We have found that strain HL250 nevertheless accumulates typical amounts of these proteins, stores them normally in prespore vesicles, and secretes them normally to become a part of the spore coat. However, affected proteins are proteolyzed after germination, the spore coat is more accessible to penetration by a macromolecular probe, and germination is inefficient in older spores. These findings can be explained by a dependence of the integrity of the outer layer of the spore coat on protein-linked fucose.     

Enhanced Cellulose Fermentation by an Asporogenous and Ethanol-Tolerant Mutant of Clostridium thermocellum

A mutant of Clostridium thermocellum isolated after UV mutagenesis and selection for resistance to fluoropyruvate was found to be asporogenous and ethanol tolerant. The mutant was also an ethanol hyperproducer, able to ferment 63 g of cellulose into 14.5 g of ethanol per liter of medium. The ratio of ethanol to total organic acids produced by the mutant was increased, and H₂ production was decreased. Culture conditions were optimized for ethanol production by the new strain.     

Regulation by insulin of glucose metabolism in mammary gland of anaesthetized lactating rats. Stimulation of phosphofructokinase-1 by fructose 2,6-bisphosphate and activation of acetyl-CoA carboxylase.

The effect of insulin on glucose metabolism in mammary gland was studied by the euglycaemic/hyperinsulinaemic-clamp technique. Measurement of metabolite concentrations and enzyme activities in the mammary gland suggests two sites of action of insulin: phosphofructokinase-1 and acetyl-coA carboxylase. The increase in phosphofructokinase-1 activity could be linked to the 2-fold increase in fructose 2,6-bisphosphate concentration, since no change in maximal activity and in sensitivity of the enzyme toward fructose 6-phosphate was detected in vitro.     

Agyria — pachygyria and Miller-Dieker syndrome: clinical,genetic and chromosome studies

Summary Twelve cases of lissencephaly are reported. A high resolution chromosome study was performed on each in order to detect small chromosomal anomalies, undetectable with routine techniques. Only one case was shown to have an unbalanced karyotype with a microdeletion of the short arm of chromosome 17(del 17p). This child also had symptoms of the Miller-Dieker syndrome, consisting of lissencephaly, characteristic facies, pre- and post-natal growth retardation and other birth defects. As proposed by Dobyns, it seems justifiable to classify lissencephalies into four different groups, according to other clinical manifestations and results of chromosome studies.     

Circumnutation in Phaseolus vulgaris. I. Growth, osmotic potential and cell ultrastructure in the free-moving part of the shoot

Circumnutation of Phaseolus vulgaris L. cv. Blanc de Juillet twining shoots was examined at the cellular level. Cell growth was monitored inside the free-moving part of the shoot as a function of time and position with respect to the terminal bud. Complete elongation of epidermal cells required >7 days. A 60% increase in length of the cells in the bending zone was observed. Scanning and transmission electron microscopy studies showed the elasticity of cell walls, the extent of plasmodesmata and endoplasmic reticulum of epidermal cells. The osmotic potential in epidermal cells of the bending zone displayed significant differences only between the concave and convex sides. The pattern of cell growth in twining shoots is discussed. Circumnutation could be seen as a consequence of periodic turgor changes inducing periodic growth.     

Human joining peptide: a proopiomelanocortin product secreted as a homodimer

The human (h) POMC gene sequence predicts a 30 amino acid joining peptide (JP) separating the N-terminal fragment [POMC(1-76) or hNT] and ACTH within their common precursor. We used an anti-serum directed against the amidated COOH-terminal end of mouse JP to develop a RIA for the predicted hJP molecule. Immunoreactive JP was detected in tissue extracts from human normal pituitary, ACTH-secreting pituitary- and nonpituitary tumors, and in plasma from patients with ACTH hypersecretory syndromes. Its molar concentration was of the same order of magnitude as, and correlated with, that of the other POMC peptides. Gel exclusion chromatography in 1% formic acid and 6 M guanidine-HCl revealed a predominant immunoreactive material with an apparent mol wt of ca. 6000. After reduction with dithiothreitol this material was recovered in an elution volume identical to that of purified hJP and corresponding to a mol wt of ca. 3000. These data show that POMC processing generates a COOH terminally amidated hJP predominantly secreted as a homodimer, probably through disulfide bonding between the single Cys9 residue of two molecules.