title: A device for aeration and mixing of cell and organelle suspensions during nuclear magnetic resonance studies.
abstract: A device is described which maintains homogeneous aerobic or anaerobic cell and organelle suspensions within an NMR sample tube. Line broadening due to magnetic field inhomogeneity is reduced by elimination of gas bubbles from the area of the probe receiver coils. The linewidth of the extracellular orthophosphate resonance of a yeast suspension in 31P NMR was 0.21 ppm compared with 0.4-0.7 ppm in conventionally aerated suspensions. Recirculation of the sample results in complete mixing within 90 s of addition of aliquots of acid or alkali. The maximum rate of oxygen transfer from the gaseous to the liquid phase was approximately 600 microM min-1 when aerated with 95% oxygen/5% carbon dioxide. A 60% wet weight suspension of yeast cells was recirculated for 20 h without settling of cells occurring. A method for estimating oxygen transfer rate is described.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Australia.
authors.forename: R M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Bourne
mesh_terms: D002175:Candida / Q000166:cytology; D003584:Cytological Techniques / Q000295:instrumentation*; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D015388:Organelles; D010759:Phosphorus Isotopes
chemical_list: D010759:Phosphorus Isotopes