This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Reprints and Permissions Copyright Information Books from ASM Press MicrobeWorld Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Höfle, M. G. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Höfle, M. G. Agricola Articles by Höfle, M. G.

 Previous Article  |  Next Article 

Appl Environ Microbiol. 1984 February; 47(2): 356-362
Copyright © 1984, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Transient Responses of Glucose-Limited Cultures of Cytophaga johnsonae to Nutrient Excess and Starvation

Manfred G. Höfle

Limnologisches Institut der Universität Konstanz, D-7750 Konstanz, Federal Republic of Germany

ABSTRACT

Cells from glucose-limited chemostat cultures of Cytophaga johnsonae were subjected to a sudden relaxation of substrate limitation by injecting the cells into fresh batch cultures. Starvation experiments were carried out by injecting glucose-limited cells into batch cultures lacking glucose. Transient responses of biomass, glucose uptake and mineralization, ATP content, and viability on different agar media were monitored during these nutrient-shift experiments. Cells reacted differently depending on growth rate and time spent in the chemostat. Fast-growing cells showed an immediate adaptation to the new growth conditions, despite some initial overshoot reactions in ATP and uptake potential. In contrast, slowly growing cells and long-term-adapted cells showed extensive transient growth responses. Glucose uptake and mineralization potentials changed considerably during the transient growth phase before reaching new levels. During the starvation experiments, all cell types displayed a fast decrease in ATP, but the responses of the substrate uptake and mineralization potentials were strongly dependent upon the previous growth rate. Both potentials decreased rapidly in cells with high growth rates. On the other hand, cells with low growth rates maintained 80% of their uptake and mineralization potentials after 8 h of starvation. Thus, slowly growing cells are much better adapted for starvation than are fast-growing cells.

Present address: Max-Planck-Institut für Limnologie, D-2320 Plön, Federal Republic of Germany.

This article has been cited by other articles:

• Carrero-Colon, M., Nakatsu, C. H., Konopka, A. (2006). Effect of nutrient periodicity on microbial community dynamics.. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 72: 3175-3183 [Abstract] [Full Text]