title: [Estimating the biological effect of detrimental substances on E. coli with flow microcalorimetry. I. Flow microcalorimetric test systems using microorganisms for antibiotics and chemicals (literature review)].
abstract: Flow microcalorimetry has found increasing use in many rather different sections of biological science in order to investigate metabolic reactions accompanied by heat production during the last few years. The microcalorimetric technique seems to be adequate for investigating liquid microbial cultures, particularly. Flow microcalorimetry is preferentially used for testing the effect of antibiotics and to a smaller extend the effect of other chemical compounds on bacteria and yeasts. The test substances are usually added during the logarithmic growth phase of the microbial culture or to cultures of nongrowing cells in glucose buffer solution. There are less reports on the addition of the test substances during the steady heat plateau of a respiring or grown through culture. The received power-time-curves are compared to "control curves" recorded under identical conditions without test substances. Difficulties and errors can be caused by external influences (e.g. changes in room temperature) or by latent processes within the detector and tubes of the calorimeter (e.g. mixing reactions, ad- and desorption, adhesion to and growth on the walls of the tubes, obstruction by clots of cells). A substantial advantage of the microcalorimetric technique as compared to traditional bioassays is the continuous monitoring of the effect, an additional advantage is its quick and simple performance. The sensitivity is comparable to other bioassays of antibiotics.
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001419:Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects*; D002151:Calorimetry; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000187:drug effects; D015003:Yeasts / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents
vernacular_title: Zur Einschätzung der biologischen Wirkrung nachteiliger Stoffe auf E. coli mit der Flow-Mikrokalorimetrie. I. Flow-mikrokalorimetrische Testsysteme mit Mikroorganismen für Antibiotika und Chemikalien (Literaturübersicht).