Effects of Inorganic Particles on Metabolism by a Periphytic Marine Bacterium

Kinetics of aerobic and anaerobic biomineralization of atrazine in surface and subsurface agricultural soils in Ohio

The purpose of this study was to assess atrazine mineralization in surface and subsurface samples retrieved from vertical cores of agricultural soils from two farm sites in Ohio. The Defiance site (NW-Ohio) was on soybean-corn rotation and Piketon (S-Ohio) was on continuous corn cultivation. Both sites had a history of atrazine application for at least a couple of decades. The clay fraction increased at the Defiance site and the organic matter and total N content decreased with depth at both sites. Mineralization of atrazine was assessed by measurement of (14)CO2 during incubation of soil samples with [U-ring-(14)C]-atrazine. Abiotic mineralization was negligible in all soil samples. Aerobic mineralization rate constants declined and the corresponding half-lives increased with depth at the Defiance site. Anaerobic mineralization (supplemented with nitrate) was mostly below the detection at the Defiance site. In Piketon samples, the kinetic parameters of aerobic and anaerobic biomineralization of atrazine displayed considerable scatter among replicate cores and duplicate biometers. In general, this study concludes that data especially for anaerobic biomineralization of atrazine can be more variable as compared to aerobic conditions and cannot be extrapolated from one agricultural site to another.

Measurement of Glucose Utilization by Pseudomonas fluorescens That Are Free-Living and That Are Attached to Surfaces

The assimilation and respiration of glucose by attached and free-living Pseudomonas fluorescens were compared. The attachment surfaces were polyvinylidene fluoride, polyethylene, and glass. Specific uptake of [C]glucose was determined after bacterial biomass was measured by (i) microscopic counts or (ii) prelabeling of cells by providing [H]leucine as substrate, followed by dual-labeling scintillation counting. The glucose concentration was 1.4, 3.5, 5.5, 7.6, or 9.7 muM. Glucose assimilation by cells which became detached from the surfaces during incubation with glucose was also measured after the detached cells were collected by filtration. The composition of the substratum had no effect on the amount of glucose assimilated by attached cells. Glucose assimilation by attached cells exceeded that by free-living cells by a factor of between 2 and 5 or more, and respiration of glucose by surface-associated cells was greater than that by free-living bacteria. Glucose assimilation by detached cells was greater than that by attached bacteria. Measurements of biomass by microscopic counts gave more consistent results that those obtained with dual-labeling, but in general, results obtained by both methods were corroborative.

Electrolyte effects on attachment of an estuarine bacterium

The effect of electrolyte concentration on attachment of Vibrio alginolyticus to hydroxyapatite was determined. Bacterial affinity for attachment to the surface and surface capacity were derived from linearization of bacterial adsorption isotherms. At low concentrations (<0.1 M) the affinity of the bacteria for the surface increased with increasing ionic strength, in agreement with the D.L.V.O. theory of colloid interaction. At higher concentrations, bacterial affinity for the surface decreased with increasing concentration of cations and was not related to ionic strength changes in the medium. These results demonstrate a change in the mechanism by which salts affect bacterial attachment at salt concentrations above 0.1 M. The results are consistent with the relationship between the proportion of attached bacteria and salinity observed in previously published field studies. The results may also resolve differences between various attachment studies carried out in different ionic strength media, utilizing different bacteria, surfaces, and experimental methods.

Comparison of substrate utilization and growth kinetics between immobilized and suspended Pseudomonas cells

A methodology is described for measurement if immobilized and suspended cell growth and substrate utilization kinetics parameters. Substrate utilization and growth kinetics were compared between immobilized and suspended cells for toluene degrading Pseudomonas strains K3-2 and 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) degrading strain DBO131(pR0101), respectively. Kinetic parameters were estimated using nonlinear parameter estimation methods and compared between the immobilized and suspended Pseudomonas cells to determine the effect of immobilization on cellular growth and substrate utilization. Factors influencing the experimental design included calculated oxygen flux rates, primary carbon substrate flux rates, and shear stresses on the immobilize cell. Statistical interpretation of the cellular reaction rate parameters indicates that only the growth kinetics of the toluene system were significantly altered upon immobilization. Substrate utilization kinetics remained unchanged upon immobilization. The substrate growth associated half-saturation constant (K(g)) for the toluene system increased by 30-fold and the maximum specific growth rate (micro(max)) decreased by 2-fold upon immobilization. Implication of these results for experimental determination of cellular kinetic parameters and for immobilization cell bioreactors design are discussed.

Effect of nutrient limitation on biofilm formation and phosphatase activity of a Citrobacter sp

A phosphatase-overproducing Citrobacter sp. (NCIMB 40259) was grown in an air-lift reactor in steady-state continuous culture under limitation of carbon, phosphorus or nitrogen. Substantial biofilm formation, and the highest phosphatase activity, were observed under lactose limitation. However, the total amount of biofilm wet biomass and the phosphatase specific activity were reduced in phosphorus- or nitrogen-limited cultures or when glucose was substituted for lactose as the limiting carbon source. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) showed differences in cell and biofilm morphology in relation to medium composition. Electron microscopy suggested that the differences in biofilm formation may relate to differential expression of fimbriae on the cell surface.

The effects of adherence to silicone surfaces on antibiotic susceptibility in Staphylococcus aureus

Sensitivity of Staphylococcus aureus to the antibiotics tetracycline, benzylpenicillin and vancomycin was found to decrease by 2-10 fold when cells were grown adherent to silicone catheter surfaces. Sensitivity to rifampicin and fusidic acid was not significantly altered in adherent cells. Susceptibility further decreased with increased adherence time prior to antibiotic challenge. The resistance observed was not genotypic, or due to the presence of a specialized subpopulation of bacteria, as it disappeared when the bacteria were removed from the catheter, subcultured and retested. Also, adherent bacteria were found to grow more slowly than bacteria growing planktonically. It is concluded that the decrease in antibiotic susceptibility of adherent bacteria is a function of the physiological status of the individual cells rather than a function of biofilm formation or slime production. The decrease in growth rate of the adherent bacteria is a result of the adherence process rather than a result of nutrient depletion. The decrease in growth rate is implicated, but is not the sole factor, in the decreased antibiotic susceptibility of adherent bacteria.

Copper-induced production of copper-binding supernatant proteins by the marine bacterium Vibrio alginolyticus

Growth of the marine bacterium Vibrio alginolyticus is temporarily inhibited by micromolar levels of copper. During the copper-induced lag phase, supernatant compounds which complex and detoxify copper are produced. In this study two copper-inducible supernatant proteins having molecular masses of ca. 21 and 19 kilodaltons (CuBP1 and CuBP2) were identified; these proteins were, respectively, 25 and 46 times amplified in supernatants of copper-challenged cultures compared with controls. Experiments in which chloramphenicol was added to cultures indicated that there was de novo synthesis of these proteins in response to copper. When supernatants were separated by gel permeation chromatography, CuBP1 and CuBP2 coeluted with a copper-induced peak in copper-binding activity. CuBP1 and CuBP2 from whole supernatants were concentrated and partially purified by using a copper-charged immobilized metal ion affinity chromatography column, confirming the affinity of these proteins for copper. A comparison of cell pellets and supernatants demonstrated that CuBP1 was more concentrated in supernatants than in cells. Our data are consistent with a model for a novel mechanism of copper detoxification in which excretion of copper-binding protein is induced by copper.

Influence of interfaces on microbial activity

Bacterial adhesion in natural and artificial systems has been critically reviewed to investigate the influences exerted by the presence of interfaces. Numerous investigations have demonstrated that, in the presence of a solid phase, the activity of bacterial cultures is changed. Reviewing relevant literature, two problems were encountered. One is of an experimental nature. Due to lack of similarity in experimental conditions, disparate experiments often cannot be compared; their results may even appear conflicting. The other problem is of an interpretational nature: several hypothetical theories exist which try to explain the effect of surfaces on microbial activity. These theories often confuse changes in the medium and limitations in mass transfer which are due to the presence of solid surfaces (indirect influences) with changes in cell properties (direct influences). Whenever a surface is reported to influence the metabolism of bacteria, the action is found almost exclusively to be due to changes in the medium or environment and is therefore indirect. Based on data reported in the literature, and by using thermodynamic and kinetic considerations, it is concluded that so far neither experimental nor theoretical evidence exists for a direct influence of interfaces on microbial activity.

Growth and comparative physiology of Klebsiella oxytoca attached to granular activated carbon particles and in liquid media

Experiments were performed to evaluate the comparative growth and physiology of Klebsiella oxytoca grown attached to granular activated carbon particles (GAC) and in liquid medium. Laboratory studies showed that when this organism attached to GAC, the growth rate was enhanced more than 10 times in the presence of glutamate, a substrate that adsorbed to the surface. No differences were observed if the substrate was glucose, which did not adsorb to GAC. Cellular [3H]thymidine uptake was used to estimate DNA biosynthesis. Attached bacteria grown in a minimal nutrient medium containing 20.0 mg/liter glutamate took up 5 times more [3H]thymidine than cells grown in suspension. [3H]uridine was used as a measure of RNA turnover. Attached cells were shown to assimilate 11 times more [3H]uridine than cells in liquid media. Cell size measurements were performed by differential filtration. Cells grown in a minimal medium with 20.0 mg/liter glutamate decreased in size over time, with 62% of the total number passing through a 1.0 micron filter after 9 days incubation. In the same period, 39% of a cell population that was grown on GAC passed through a 1.0 micron filter. These studies indicate that GAC provides an interfacial environment for the enhanced growth of K. oxytoca when glutamate is the substrate.

Physical and biological parameters that determine the fate of p-chlorophenol in laboratory test systems

Shake-flask and microcosm studies were conducted to determine the fate of para-chlorophenol (p-CP) in water and sediment systems and the role of sediment and nonsediment surfaces in the biodegradation process. Biodegradation of p-CP in estuarine water samples in shake flasks was slow over incubation periods of 300 h. The addition of detrital sediment resulted in immediate and rapid degradation evidenced by the production of 14CO2 from [14C]p-CP. The addition of sterile sediment, glass beads, or sand resulted in approximately four to six times more CO2 evolution than observed in the water alone. Densities of p-CP-degrading bacteria associated with the detrital sediment were 100 times greater than those enumerated in water. Bacteria in the water and associated with the sediment after preexposure of both water and sediment of p-CP demonstrated enhanced biodegradation. In some microcosms, p-CP was degraded completely in the top 1.0 cm of intact sediment beds. Sediment reworking activities by benthic invertebrates from one site were sufficient to mix p-CP deep into the sediment bed faster than biodegradation or molecular diffusion. p-CP was persistent at lower depths of the sediment, possibly a result of reduced oxygen conditions preventing aerobic biodegradation.

Influence of Alginate on Attachment of Vibrio spp. to Stainless Steel Surfaces in Seawater

The influence of alginate on the attachment of Vibrio alginolyticus and Vibrio pelagius biovar II to stainless steel was investigated. When the bacteria were in stationary phase, alginate decreased the number of attached bacteria in the case of each Vibrio sp. In contrast, when V. pelagius biovar II was grown on alginate and harvested in log phase, attachment was increased. This effect may be due to nutrient availability at the surface or to receptors on the bacterial surface which interact with alginate adsorbed to the metal.

Activity of an Attached and Free-Living Vibrio sp. as Measured by Thymidine Incorporation, p -Iodonitrotetrazolium Reduction, and ATP/DNA Ratios

Three independent techniques, [ 3 H]thymidine incorporation, the reduction rate of p -iodonitrotetrazolium violet (INT) to INT formazan normalized to DNA, and the ratio of ATP to DNA, were adapted to measure the activity of attached and unattached estuarine bacteria. In experiments employing the estuarine isolate Vibrio proteolytica , nutrient concentrations were manipulated by varying the concentration of peptone-yeast extract. In the presence of exogenous nutrients, the activity of free-living cells was greater than that of attached cells as measured by [ 3 H]thymidine incorporation and ATP/DNA ratios. In the absence of peptone-yeast extract, however, the activity of attached cells surpassed that of free-living cells as determined by [ 3 H]thymidine incorporation and INT formazan normalized to DNA. Of the three techniques, [ 3 H]thymidine incorporation was deemed most sensitive for detecting changes in activity resulting from slight differences in nutrient concentration. By this technique, attached cells were much less sensitive to changing nutrient concentrations than were free-living cells. Below a threshold concentration, attached cell activity remained constant, while the activity of unattached cells decreased as a function of decreasing nutrient concentration. The results suggest that loss of cell surface area available for substrate uptake due to attachment may be an important factor in determining the relative activities of attached and free-living cells.

Adsorption mediated decrease in the biodegradation rate of organic compounds

A negative correlation between adsorption of low molecular weight organic acids and sugars onto a hydroxyapatite surface and biodegradation rates of the compounds in the presence of the mineral was observed. Qualitatively, the effect was the same whether the organics were equilibrated with the surface prior to the addition of organisms or the organisms were preattached to the surface. Glucose, acetic acid, succinic acid, glutamic acid, and citric acid showed equilibrium adsorption values ranging from 0-94% from a 2μM solution. Changes in both respiration and assimilation of the substrates in the presence of hydroxyapatite were inversely correlated with adsorption.

The triggering effect of surfaces and surfactants on heat output, oxygen consumption and size reduction of a starving marine Vibrio

The marine Vibrio DW1 exhibited a positive response in heat output to a dialysis membrane surface in the presence of substrate (100 mM sodium glutamate) and, more particularly, in the absence of exogenous substrate (starvation conditions). The latter result paralleled the previously reported decrease in cell volume and increase in oxygen consumption by starving bacteria at a similar surface. Modified Morita's salts (MMS) did not extract nutrients from the dialysis membrane, but an artificial seawater containing tris buffer (ASW-tris) did extract surface active and nutrient materials from the membrane. The ASW-tris membrane extract and a commercial surfactant, Tween 85, were found to mimic the effects of the dialysis membrane surface by inducing a decrease in cell volume, and an increasing oxygen consumption and heat output of Vibrio DW1 even in the bulk liquid. The significance of the adsorption of naturally occurring surfactants at surfaces in relation to the behaviour of bacteria at the surfaces is discussed.