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PubMed2002

[Inhibition of Lactobacillus species on the germination of Aspergillus flavus spore].

Actively growing Lactobacillus plantarum CGMCC 1.1856 cells totally inhibited the germination of mold spores. Cell-free supernatant broth from the fermentation of Lactobacillus plantarum could not destroy the viability of mold spore. While the pH of the culture broth and supernatant were about 4.0, and the acidification of non-fermented broth to pH 4.0 with lactic acid could not cause a similar inhibition on spore germination. This experiment discounted the possibility that the inhibitory effect on mold growth was due to the lactic acid produced by Lactobacillus, and suggested that the effect was because of both low pH and microbial competition.

Aspergillus flavus↗

PubMed1976

[Simple method for preservation of bacteria in small portions (author's transl)].

A method of maintaining micro-organisms in small portions is described. The microbial suspensions to be preserved are transferred into small PVC tubes, which are then heat-sealed in small segments. Care must be taken to ensure that the segments are not overfull, otherwise the seams may burst upon freezing. The segments are then transferred strainwise to small propylene test tubes for deep-frozen storage in an electric freezer at -90 degrees C or in liquid nitrogen at -195 degrees C. The viability of the micro-organisms thus treated is fully comparable with that obtained by other methods of deep-freezing. A brief account is given of how the micro-organisms can be recultured from these segments. The above method is particularly suitable when periodical subcultures of a large number of strains have to be prepared over a fairly long period of time. The suppliers of the materials used are indicated.

Bacteriological Techniques↗

PubMed1995

[Antimicrobial activity in Staphylococcus epidermidis biofilms on polyvinyl chloride catheters].

OBJECTIVES: We have evaluated the effect of polyvinylchloride (PVC) catheters on the activity of eight antimicrobials. Secondly the activity of these antimicrobials against Staphylococcus epidermidis biofilms on PVC catheters was also studied. METHOD: The MIC and MBC values of amikacine, clindamycine, cloxacilline, ciprofloxacine, vancomycine, teicoplanine, daptomycine and rifampicine was evaluated by a microdilution assay in the presence of 0.5 cm length segments of PVC catheters. Catheter segments with bacteria attached for different periods of time were used as inocula for the studies of antimicrobial activity against bacterial biofilms. Both slime producing and non-producing strains were evaluated. RESULTS: The presence of PVC did not affect the activity of the antimicrobials evaluated against S. epidermidis. For the non-slime producing strains MBC values against sessile bacteria were significantly higher than those against planktonic bacteria. For the slime-producing strain MBCs of ciprofloxacine, amikacine and teicoplanine against both bacterial populations were similar. At high concentrations (16 x MBC), clindamycine was the only antimicrobial that sterilized non-slime producing S. epidermidis biofilms on PVC. Against the slime producing strains ciprofloxacine yielded the highest reduction on bacterial viability (99.9%). CONCLUSIONS: S. epidermidis biofilms on PVC were more resistant to antimicrobials than planktonic bacteria. Slime production is not the only factor involved in this phenomenon.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗

PubMed1979

Lack of microbial genetic response to 2.45-GHz CW and 8.5- to 9.6-GHz pulsed microwaves.

Strain D4 of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and strains TA-1535, TA-100 and TA-98 of the bacterium Salmonella typhimurium, were exposed to 2.45-GHz continuous wave or 8.5- to 9.6-GHz pulsed electromagnetic radiation (EMR) at various power densities from 1 to 45 mW/cm2. The temperature during radiation was maintained at 30 degrees C for yeast cultures and at 37 degrees C for bacterial cultures. The studies revealed no increase in mutations or of mitotic gene conversions when cells were radiated for two hours or less. Decreased viability of cells was noted in all cultures tested after radiation at power densities of 30 mW/cm2 or more; however, no reliable changes in genetic events occurred.

Electromagnetic Fields↗

PubMed1995

CD40 ligation induces Apo-1/Fas expression on human B lymphocytes and facilitates apoptosis through the Apo-1/Fas pathway.

The Apo-1/Fas antigen (CD95) mediates programmed cell death of lymphocytes when bound by Fas ligand or anti-Apo-1/Fas antibody. In contrast, the CD40 antigen provides a potent activation and survival signal to B lymphocytes when it is engaged by its T cell ligand (CD40L, gp39) or cross-linked by anti-CD40 antibody. In this study, we use human tonsillar B cells and the Ramos Burkitt's lymphoma B cell line, which serves as a model for human germinal center B lymphocytes, to study the effectors of Apo-1/Fas expression and apoptosis of human B cells. We found that Apo-1/Fas expression was upregulated on both malignant and normal human B lymphocytes after CD40 ligation induced by (a) cognate T helper-B cell interaction mediated by microbial superantigen (SAg); (b) contact-dependent interaction with CD40L+, but not CD40L- Jurkat mutant T cell clones; and (c) monoclonal anti-CD40, but not any of a panel of control antibodies. Enhanced B cell Fas/Apo-1 expression is functionally significant. Coculture of Ramos Burkitt's lymphoma line cells with irradiated SAg-reactive CD4+ T cells with SAg or CD40L+ Jurkat T cells results in B cell apoptosis, evidenced by reduced cell viability and DNA laddering. This process is augmented by the addition of anti-Apo-1/Fas monoclonal antibody, consistent with an acquired susceptibility to Apo-1/Fas-mediated apoptosis. These data support an immunoregulatory pathway in which seemingly contradictory signals involving the B cell proliferation/survival antigen CD40, as well as the Apo-1/Fas molecule, which mediates programmed cell death of lymphocytes, are linked in the process of human B cell activation.

Antibodies, Monoclonal↗

PubMed2003

Simultaneous determination of bacterial viability and identity in biofilms using ethidium monoazide and fluorescent in situ hybridization.

A protocol for simultaneously interrogating bacterial viability and identity using in situ, culture-independent methods is described. Viability is assayed using ethidium monoazide (EMA) staining of cells with compromised membranes, and identity is determined using fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH). Experiments with planktonic cultures were used to demonstrate the compatibility of EMA staining and FISH after covalently bonding EMA to nucleic acids by photoreaction. Applications to biofilm samples showed that diffusion limitations in the biofilm matrix were not problematic and that effective discrimination of viable target cells within a mixed microbial community was possible.

Affinity Labels↗

PubMed1998

Flow cytometry and cell sorting for yeast viability assessment and cell selection.

Yeast suspensions were analysed by flow cytometry after dye staining for determination of total and viable cell densities. Results were comparable to traditional colony counting and, in addition, provided further information on the percentage of total cells that were viable. The flow cytometric methods provided results within 20 min whereas colony counts were not available until 36 h. We evaluated a number of fluorescent dyes: ChemChrome Y (CY), oxonol (Ox), propidium iodide (PI), Fungolight and rhodamine 123, for accurate determination of viability of industrial yeast cultures and freshly re-hydrated high activity dried yeast (HADY). PI, Ox and CY gave the most conclusive live/dead discrimination and were the simplest to use. Culturing after dye staining and cell sorting demonstrated that the yeast remained viable after cell sorting and incubation with PI, CY or Ox. The methods, therefore, permit physical selection of individual yeast cells from populations of mixed viability. Sorting demonstrated that PI stained non-culturable cells whilst CY stained culturable cells. Analysis of yeast stained simultaneously with CY and PI or with Ox and PI demonstrated that PI and CY assays were in mutual agreement with respect to viability assessments. The Ox assay was in agreement with CY and PI for live/heat-killed mixtures. However, for re-hydrated HADY, Ox stained a significantly (P < or = 0.05) higher proportion of cells than did PI.

Colony Count, Microbial↗

PubMed1985

An enzymatic method for the consistent production of monodispersed viable cell suspensions from human solid tumors.

An enzymatic method is described for disaggregation of viable tumor cells from human solid tumors. The enzymatic cocktail consists of 0.1% collagenase, 0.01% hyaluronidase, and 0.002% deoxyribonuclease. After mechanical mincing of the tumor tissue, tumor specimens are dissociated by incubation in the enzymatic cocktail for 12-18 hours at room temperature. In 17 cases of sarcoma, the mean yield was 5 X 10(6) viable cells per gram tumor tissue. Yield was 1 X 10(7) viable cells per gram tumor tissue in 23 cases of gastrointestinal carcinoma. The viabilities of tumor cell suspensions ranged from 50 to 98%, except for low viabilities in four specimens that were grossly composed almost entirely of necrotic tissue. The dissociation procedure is simple and the viable cell yield is sufficient for applications in studies of human cancer immunobiology.

Cell Survival↗

PubMed1997

Relationship between cadmium sensitivity and degree of plasma membrane fatty acid unsaturation in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

The sensitivity of Saccharomyces cerevisiae to the redox-active metal copper has recently been found to be influenced by cellular fatty acid composition. This study sought to investigate whether fatty acid composition affected plasma membrane permeabilisation and whole-cell toxicity induced by the redox-inactive metal cadmium. S. cerevisiae NCYC 1383 was enriched with the polyunsaturated fatty acids linoleate (18:2) and linolenate (18:3) by growth in 18:2- or 18:3-supplemented medium. Incorporation of the exogenous fatty acids resulted in them comprising more than 65% of the total fatty acids in plasma membrane lipids. Inhibition of cell division in the presence of Cd(NO3)2 was accentuated by growth in the presence of a polyunsaturated fatty acid. Furthermore, susceptibility to Cd(2+)-induced plasma membrane permeabilisation increased with the degree of fatty acid unsaturation. Thus, during exposure to Cd2+, K+ efflux from 18:2- and 18:3-enriched cells was up to 2.5-fold or 3-fold greater, respectively than that from unsupplemented cells. In addition, reductions in cell viability during exposure to Cd2+ were most marked in polyunsaturated-fatty-acid-supplemented cells. At certain times, unsupplemented Cd(2+)-exposed cells displayed up to 7-fold greater viability than supplemented Cd(2+)-exposed cells. The study demonstrates that the toxicity of the redox-inactive metal Cd2+ towards S. cerevisiae becomes markedly amplified with increased cellular and plasma membrane fatty acid unsaturation.

Cadmium↗

PubMed1983

Isolation of calcium tolerant myocytes from adult rat hearts: review of the literature and description of a method.

Myocytes have been isolated from adult rat hearts since 1969. The early preparations exhibited the Ca2+ paradox. Over the ensuing years, numerous groups have reported the isolation of Ca2+ tolerant cardiac myocytes. In the present review, detailed comparisons have been made of the yields, viability, and relative Ca2+ tolerance of these different myocyte preparations. The factors to which these investigators attributed the increased Ca2+ tolerance are considered, and the current information regarding the mechanism of the Ca2+ paradox is reviewed. A method is given which incorporates several of the modifications described. By this method 40-60% of the ventricular weight was disaggregated into single myocytes within 45 min after the sacrifice of the rats. Viability without further purification was 82 +/- 0.7% (n = 35) and Nai+/Ki+ ratios were normal. Upon incubation with 2 mM Ca2+ for 1 hr at 37 degrees C, viability decreased by 6% and ATP and creatine phosphate remained at physiological levels. The preparation is very stable since upon incubation in culture medium containing fetal bovine serum and 1.25 mM free Ca2+ at 25 degrees C for 20 hr, viability decreased only 13% (rod-shaped and trypan blue criteria). The factors which contribute to the quality and Ca2+ tolerance of this preparation are discussed.

Animals↗

PubMed2005

Intracellular physiological events of yeast Rhodotorula glutinis during storage at +4 degrees C.

Samples of the cheese yeast Rhodotorula glutinis were analysed during storage at +4 degrees C for cultivability, viability, vitality (metabolic activity), membrane potential state, intracellular pH, and carbohydrate content. The results have allowed to describe cellular events occurring during storage. The loss of vitality came with the decrease of carbohydrate content. The fall of trehalose content under a threshold value induced the deterioration of the membrane potential. Later, when all the cells were depolarised, the intracellular pH decreased and the cultivability dropped, whereas viable cells still decreased slowly. Then, it led to an intermediate physiological state similar to the viable but non-cultivable state. Finally, the fall of viability dropped. In this work, we have defined rapid methods relevant to describe the sequence of intracellular events in the cheese yeast R. glutinis during storage, and we applied them to understand the weak vitality without fall of viability of yeast samples. These methods might allow to rapidly test yeast sample quality before use and to predict, at the moment of the harvesting, the conservation of the yeast.

Carbohydrate Metabolism↗

PubMed2001

Effects of deflected droplet electrostatic cell sorting on the viability and exoproteolytic activity of bacterial cultures and marine bacterioplankton.

The cell-sorting capability of flow cytometers makes it possible to isolate specific populations of cells with pre-defined cytometric characteristics. A better knowledge of the biological effects of the sorting process is necessary for the future cell sorting applications. In this paper we report the effects of flow cytometric sorting on bacterial viability and exoproteolytic activity (EPA) of bacterial cultures and marine bacterioplankton. Sorting bacterial cultures and bacterioplankton samples reduce viability as assessed by plate counts and produce variations in the exoproteolytic activity. These effects indicate that deflected electrostatic sorting may significantly alter the biological properties of the sorted bacteria.

Animals↗

PubMed2002

Immunofluorescence detection of Escherichia coli in seawater: a comparison of various commercial antisera.

Through a microscopical method, relying on the interaction between fluorescent antibodies and target antigen, it is possible to detect and enumerate Escherichia coli in seawaters. Various commercial monoclonal and polyclonal antisera have been tested in an indirect immunofluorescence (IIF) assay developed for microbiological monitoring of coastal waters. Prior to use, they have been titrated and screened for cross-reactions with a collection of clinical and environmental isolates. A comparison among counts obtained on field samples showed higher performance for microscopical than for plate methods, due to the ability of all antisera to label target cells specifically, regardless of their viability. Because of their different specificities, polyclonal antisera yielded better quantitative results than monoclonal antisera. The study further suggested the usefulness of the immunofluorescence assay as a rapid alternative analytical tool for the specific detection of bacterial pathogens in aquatic environments.

Colony Count, Microbial↗

PubMed1998

The effect of dicloxacillin and fusidic acid on the extracellular and intracellular killing of Staphylococcus aureus.

The effect of dicloxacillin and fusidic acid used alone and in combination on the extracellular and intracellular killing of four isolates of Staphylococcus aureus in the presence of serum was studied. At the extracellular level, dicloxacillin (8 mg/L) had a bactericidal effect on all four isolates, whereas fusidic acid (64 mg/L) had a bacteriostatic effect on two isolates and no effect on the two other isolates. Fusidic acid significantly inhibited the extracellular bactericidal effect of dicloxacillin on two isolates. Intracellular killing was measured in human neutrophil granulocytes. Dicloxacillin (8 mg/L) significantly increased the intracellular killing of all four isolates, while fusidic acid (64 mg/L) significantly increased the intracellular killing of three isolates, but the killing was significantly lower than that of dicloxacillin. When the antibiotics were combined the intracellular killing of three of the isolates was significantly lower than that of dicloxacillin alone. The viability of the granulocytes and their ability to produce superoxide anion were not affected by the antibiotics. In conclusion, we found that the increased intracellular killing of S. aureus by dicloxacillin was inhibited by fusidic acid.

Adult↗

PubMed1980

Selection of Bacillus subtilis 168 mutants with deletions of the PBSX prophage.

Heat-resistant derivatives of a Bacillus subtilis 168 strain carrying an xhi mutation, which causes heat-sensitive induction of the PBSX prophage, have been isolated and screened for the acquisition of auxotrophy. Two classes of auxotrophs were isolated, namely Pro- and Pro-Met-; they lacked the ability to produce PBSX, as shown by their resistance to mitomycin C-induced lysis. The proline and methionine requirements and the resistance to mitomycin C were shown to segregate together in phage PBS1-mediated transduction crosses and to be linked to thiB, which is known to be co-transducible with the PBSX prophage. It was therefore proposed that these strains had deletions which removed all or part of the PBSX prophage together with adjacent bacterial DNA encoding the pro(AB) and metC genes. The met mutation was shown to be metC in PBS1 transduction crosses; this gene is known to be co-transducible with the PBSX prophage. The proline requirement was probably due to the deletion of a pro gene which was demonstrated to lie between the PBSX prophage and metC and which was 90% co-transducible with metC. These deletions have been transduced into a strain which was cured of phage SP beta, another bacteriophage carried by B. subtilis 168. No phage particles could be seen in mitomycin C-induced cultures of such strains. The PBSX-deletion strains grew with the same generation time as the PBSX+ parent in L-broth (27 min at 35 degrees C) but they were slower in minimal medium (e.g. 72 min as against 51 min in the PBSX+ strain). Besides being resistant to mitomycin C-induced lysis, the deletion strains were also resistant to lysis induced by thymine starvation of thymine auxotrophs and the loss of viability of these strains after thymine starvation was 100-fold less than in the PBSX+ parent. The deletion strains had not, however, lost the bacterial autolytic enzymes, since they were still susceptible to lysis when placed under semi-anaerobic conditions.

Bacillus subtilis↗

PubMed1978

Consequence of cerulenin-released beta-lactamase in clinical coliforms.

Periplasmic beta-lactamase of certain clinical coliforms was released, without affecting cell viability, by perturbation of the outer membrane utilizing the fatty acid-mimicking antibiotic cerulenin. Release of such compartmentalized beta-lactamase, at high population density, seems to provide an extra margin of resistance to the organisms against cephaloridine.

Antifungal Agents↗

PubMed1999

Acetate-mediated growth inhibition in sterol 14alpha-demethylation-deficient cells of Candida albicans.

Candida albicans is a fungus thought to be viable in the presence of a deficiency in sterol 14alpha-demethylation. We showed in a strain of this species that the deficiency, caused either by a mutation or by an azole antifungal agent, made the cells susceptible to growth inhibition by acetate included in the culture medium. Studies with a mutant demonstrated that the inhibition was complete at a sodium acetate concentration of 0.24 M (20 g/liter) and was evident even at a pH of 8, the latter result indicating the involvement of acetate ions rather than the undissociated form of acetic acid. In fluconazole-treated cells, sterol profiles determined by thin-layer chromatography revealed that the minimum sterol 14alpha-demethylation-inhibitory concentrations (MDICs) of the drug, thought to be the most important parameter for clinical purposes, were practically identical in the media with and without 0.24 M acetate and were equivalent to the MIC in the acetate-supplemented medium. The acetate-mediated growth inhibition of azole-treated cells was confirmed with two additional strains of C. albicans and four different agents, suggesting the possibility of generalization. From these results, it was surmised that the acetate-containing medium may find use in azole susceptibility testing, for which there is currently no method capable of measuring MDICs directly for those fungi whose viability is not lost as a result of sterol 14alpha-demethylation deficiency. Additionally, the acetate-supplemented agar medium was found to be useful in detecting reversions from sterol 14alpha-demethylation deficiency to proficiency.

Acetates↗

PubMed1997

Rapid assessment of ceftazidime, ciprofloxacin, and gentamicin susceptibility in exponentially-growing E. coli cells by means of flow cytometry.

Exponentially growing E. coli cells were cultivated in the presence of ceftazidime, ciprofloxacin, and gentamicin in concentrations ranging from 0.5-8 minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC), permeabilized by means of cold shock in EDTA/azide, and stained with the DNA-specific dye combination of ethidium bromide and mithramycin before the fluorescence, light scattering, and cell number were measured flow-cytometrically. In order to evaluate the applicability of the cold-shock procedure, cells were also permeabillized by 70% ethanol. Permeabilization by cold shock, which eliminates washing of the cells, reduced the preparation time to <5 min. A statistically significant increase in light scattering and fluorescence, i.e., cell size and DNA content, could be detected already after 30 min of ceftazidime and ciprofloxacin exposure, even at sub-MIC concentrations. The results obtained with these drugs with cold-shock permeabilization were similar to those seen with ethanol fixation. For gentamicin-treated cells, however, a majority of the cells lost their fluorescence after cold shock. In gentamicin-treated cells fixed in ethanol, there was no consistent effect on either light scattering or fluorescence; however, we observed a substantial fragmentation and leakage of DNA in such cells. The cell proliferation was completely inhibited within 30 min of gentamicin incubation. For all three drugs, loss of light scattering and DNA were associated with cellular disintegration, i.e., reduced viability. The present results demonstrate that effects of ceftazidime, ciprofloxacin, and gentamicin on E. coli can be detected by flow cytometry within 1 h from the beginning of drug exposure to the completed measurement.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗