title: Use of a microbial model for the determination of drug effects on cell metabolism and energetics: study of citrulline-malate.
abstract: Euglena gracilis can be used as a microbial model to study the effect of drugs on lactate metabolism and gluconeogenetic synthesis. The cell growth and metabolism have been characterized in a 33 mM lactate medium, non-supplemented or supplemented by dl-malate or by l-citrulline alone or by the compound formed by the stoichiometric combination of the two components: the citrulline-malate (Stimol). The malate of the complex accelerated the ammonium disappearance, while the citrulline facilitated the lactate consumption. A synergistic action of the complex, by comparison with the additive effects of the individual components, on most of the parameters studied was detected. A remarkable resistance to anoxia, and a quicker recovery under aeration of the cells supplemented with CM, were evident: after carbonation for 2 min the total nucleotides in the medium were increased by 44 per cent with an unchanged energy charge; and after a prolonged (20 min) anoxia followed by an aeration, the capacities of the cells to synthesize ATP in the presence of excesses of both ADP and phosphate were two-fold higher in Stimol treated cells than in control.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire des Membranes Biologiques, Université Paris 7, France.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Briand
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Blehaut
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Calvayrac
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Laval-Martin
mesh_terms: D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate / Q000096:biosynthesis; D000818:Animals; D002245:Carbon Dioxide / Q000494:pharmacology; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D002956:Citrulline / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D004734:Energy Metabolism / Q000187:drug effects*; D005056:Euglena gracilis / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D007773:Lactates / Q000378:metabolism; D019344:Lactic Acid; D008293:Malates / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008954:Models, Biological; D009711:Nucleotides / Q000378:metabolism; D014508:Urea / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D007773:Lactates; D008293:Malates; D009711:Nucleotides; D002245:Carbon Dioxide; D002956:Citrulline; D019344:Lactic Acid; D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate; D014508:Urea; C071162:citrulline malate