This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Reprints and Permissions Copyright Information Books from ASM Press MicrobeWorld Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by MacFarlane, G T Articles by Gibson, G R Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by MacFarlane, G T Articles by Gibson, G R Agricola Articles by MacFarlane, G T Articles by Gibson, G R

Next Article 

Appl Environ Microbiol. 1991 January; 57(1): 1-6

Co-utilization of polymerized carbon sources by Bacteroides ovatus grown in a two-stage continuous culture system.

Medical Research Council, Dunn Clinical Nutrition Centre, Cambridge, United Kingdom.

ABSTRACT

Bacteroides ovatus NCTC 11153 was grown in a two-stage continuous culture system at various growth rates (vessel 1, D = 0.06 to 0.19 h-1; vessel 2, D = 0.03 to 0.09 h-1) on media containing mixtures of starch and arabinogalactan as carbon sources. The cell-associated enzyme activities needed to hydrolyze both substrates (amylase, arabinogalactanase, alpha-glucosidase, beta-galactosidase, and alpha-arabinofuranosidase) were variously influenced by growth rate and polysaccharide availability but were detected under all growth conditions tested. Measurements of residual carbohydrate in spent culture media showed that both polysaccharides were co-utilized during growth under putative C-limited conditions. The arabinogalactan was partly depolymerized in N-limited chemostats, and significant amounts of arabinose- and galactose-containing oligosaccharides accumulated in the cultures, indicating that starch was being preferentially utilized. Acetate, propionate, and succinate were the major fermentation products formed by C-limited bacteria, but under N limitation, lactate was also produced. Molar ratios of succinate increased concomitantly with the dilution rate in C-limited chemostats, whereas molar ratios of propionate decreased. During N-limited growth, however, decarboxylation of succinate to propionate was relatively independent of growth rate. Cell viability was higher in C-limited cultures compared with those grown under N limitation and was greatest at high dilution rates, irrespective of nutrient limitation.

This article has been cited by other articles:

• Belenguer, A., Duncan, S. H., Holtrop, G., Anderson, S. E., Lobley, G. E., Flint, H. J. (2007). Impact of pH on Lactate Formation and Utilization by Human Fecal Microbial Communities. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 73: 6526-6533 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Walker, A. W., Duncan, S. H., McWilliam Leitch, E. C., Child, M. W., Flint, H. J. (2005). pH and Peptide Supply Can Radically Alter Bacterial Populations and Short-Chain Fatty Acid Ratios within Microbial Communities from the Human Colon. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 71: 3692-3700 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Woodmansey, E. J., McMurdo, M. E. T., Macfarlane, G. T., Macfarlane, S. (2004). Comparison of Compositions and Metabolic Activities of Fecal Microbiotas in Young Adults and in Antibiotic-Treated and Non-Antibiotic-Treated Elderly Subjects. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 70: 6113-6122 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Bartosch, S., Fite, A., Macfarlane, G. T., McMurdo, M. E. T. (2004). Characterization of Bacterial Communities in Feces from Healthy Elderly Volunteers and Hospitalized Elderly Patients by Using Real-Time PCR and Effects of Antibiotic Treatment on the Fecal Microbiota. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 70: 3575-3581 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• HOPKINS, M.J., MACFARLANE, G.T. (2002). Changes in predominant bacterial populations in human faeces with age and with Clostridium difficile infection. J Med Microbiol 51: 448-454 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• McBAIN, A.J., MACFARLANE, G.T. (2001). Modulation of genotoxic enzyme activities by non-digestible oligosaccharide metabolism in in-vitro human gut bacterial ecosystems. J Med Microbiol 50: 833-842 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Macfarlane, S., McBain, A.J., Macfarlane, G.T. (1997). Consequences of Biofilm and Sessile Growth in the Large Intestine. fake Adv Dent Res 11: 59-68 [Abstract]