ISSN:
1432-0614
Quelle:
Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
Thema:
Biologie
,
Werkstoffwissenschaften, Fertigungsverfahren, Fertigung
Notizen:
Summary Stresses exerted by a growing entrapped colony of Escherichia coli up to 3 atmospheres were measured by incorporating a pressure transducer into a specially designed immobilized cell reactor. This stress is comparable in magnitude to the turgor pressure generated by Gram negative bacteria. In complementary experiments, cell densities as high as 850 grams dry weight per liter were measured in aggregates of starved E. coli subjected to controlled applied stresses up to 9 atmospheres. Cell volume reduction was quantitatively described by a model which incorporated the fundamental osmotic properties of the cell. compression of entrapped cells was qualitatively corroborated by electron microscopic examination. These results suggest that entrapped growing bacteria can exert a substantial stress on their surroundings and that dewatering of the starved cell population in an entrapped system may occur. Both of these consequences of entrapped cell growth can be understood in terms of the osmotic behavior of the cells.
Materialart:
Digitale Medien
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF00255993
