title: Analysis of fermentation processes using flow microfluorometry: Single-parameter observations of batch bacterial growth.
abstract: The laser flow microfluorometer (FMF) can determine the amounts of certain components in single cells at sample rates of several thousand cells per second. This technique has been employed to characterize Bacillus subtilis populations in batch fermentations with different inocula. Protein and nucleic acid distributions obtained by FMF analyses at different times during the batch have been decomposed using an optimized fit of summed subpopulation distributions. The results of these decomposition calculations, some of which have been approximately confirmed by independent microscopic observations, indicate that the relative numbers of single rods, cell chains, spores, and swollen rounded cells change dramatically during the entire fermentation including the stationary phase. The dynamics of these subpopulations may be related to secondary metabolite production.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Houston, Texas 77004, USA.
authors.forename: Jila
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fazel-Madjlessi
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Bailey
mesh_terms: D001412:Bacillus subtilis / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism; D003198:Computer Simulation; D004247:DNA / Q000032:analysis*; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis*; D005285:Fermentation / Q000502:physiology; D005434:Flow Cytometry / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D008954:Models, Biological; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D004247:DNA