title: Use of INT to determine the respiratory activity of immobilised and free Penicillium chrysogenum.
abstract: The specific oxygen uptake rates (OUR) of kappa-carrageenan-immobilised and free cell cultures of Penicillium chrysogenum were determined using an oxygen electrode in a closed chamber. This was compared with the respiratory activity determined by the extent of staining with iodo-nitrophenyl tetrazolium chloride (INT). The degree of INT staining correlated with the OUR; an increase in INT deposition corresponding to an increase in the measured OUR. The INT staining technique could therefore be used to determine cell respiratory activity. In this way a profile of fungal cell activity throughout immobilised cell aggregates and free cell pellets was determined. In both types of cell culture, after the initial growth period only the peripheral biomass was observed to be active.
authors.affiliation: Division of Biotechnology, School of Biological and Health Sciences, University of Westminster, London, UK.
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Mussenden
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bucke
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Saunders
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Keshavarz
mesh_terms: D005285:Fermentation; D010100:Oxygen / Q000378:metabolism*; D010408:Penicillium chrysogenum / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*; D013194:Staining and Labeling; D013778:Tetrazolium Salts
chemical_list: D013778:Tetrazolium Salts; C013574:iodonitrotetrazolium; D010100:Oxygen