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G W Luli

Publications and source records attributed to G W Luli.

5 recordsLinked to original sources

A predictive and feedback control algorithm maintains a constant glucose concentration in fed-batch fermentations.

A combined predictive and feedback control algorithm based on measurements of the concentration of glucose on-line has been developed to control fed-batch fermentations of Escherichia coli. The predictive control algorithm was based on the on-line calculation of glucose demand by the culture and plotting a linear regression to the next datum point to obtain a predicted glucose demand. This provided a predictive "coarse" control for the glucose-based nutrient feed. A direct feedback control using a proportional controller, based on glucose measurements every 2 min, fine-tuned the feed rate. These combined control schemes were used to maintain glucose concentrations in fed-batch fermentations as tight as 0.49 +/- 0.04 g/liter during growth of E. coli to high cell densities.

Acetates↗

Glucose-stat, a glucose-controlled continuous culture.

A predictive and feedback proportional control algorithm, developed for fed-batch fermentations and described in a companion paper (G. L. Kleman, J. J. Chalmers, G. W. Luli, and W. R. Strohl, Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 57:910-917, 1991), was used in this work to control a continuous culture on the basis of the soluble-glucose concentration (called the glucose-stat). This glucose-controlled continuous-culture system was found to reach and maintain steady state for 11 to 24 residence times when four different background glucose concentrations (0.27, 0.50, 0.7, and 1.5 g/liter) were used. The predictive-plus-feedback control system yielded very tight control of the continuous nutristat cultures; glucose concentrations were maintained at the set points with less than 0.003 standard error. Acetate production by Escherichia coli B in glucose-stats was found not to be correlated with the level of steady-state soluble-glucose concentration.

Acetates↗

Comparison of growth, acetate production, and acetate inhibition of Escherichia coli strains in batch and fed-batch fermentations.

The growth characteristics and acetate production of several Escherichia coli strains were compared by using shake flasks, batch fermentations, and glucose-feedback-controlled fed-batch fermentations to assess the potential of each strain to grow at high cell densities. Of the E. coli strains tested, including JM105, B, W3110, W3100, HB101, DH1, CSH50, MC1060, JRG1046, and JRG1061, strains JM105 and B were found to have the greatest relative biomass accumulation, strain MC1060 accumulated the highest concentrations of acetic acid, and strain B had the highest growth rates under the conditions tested. In glucose-feedback-controlled fed-batch fermentations, strains B and JM105 produced only 2 g of acetate.liter-1 while accumulating up to 30 g of biomass.liter-1. Under identical conditions, strains HB101 and MC1060 accumulated less than 10 g of biomass.liter-1 and strain MC1060 produced 8 g of acetate.liter-1. The addition of various concentrations of sodium acetate to the growth medium resulted in a logarithmic decrease, with respect to acetate concentration, in the growth rates of E. coli JM105, JM105(pOS4201), and JRG1061. These data indicated that the growth of the E. coli strains was likely to be inhibited by the acetate they produced when grown on media containing glucose. A model for the inhibition of growth of E. coli by acetate was derived from these experiments to explain the inhibition of acetate on E. coli strains at neutral pH.

Acetates↗

Application of a microcomputer-based system to control and monitor bacterial growth.

A modular microcomputer-based system was developed to control and monitor various modes of bacterial growth. The control system was composed of an Apple II Plus microcomputer with 64-kilobyte random-access memory; a Cyborg ISAAC model 91A multichannel analog-to-digital and digital-to-analog converter; paired MRR-1 pH, pO(2), and foam control units; and in-house-designed relay, servo control, and turbidimetry systems. To demonstrate the flexibility of the system, we grew bacteria under various computer-controlled and monitored modes of growth, including batch, turbidostat, and chemostat systems. The Apple-ISAAC system was programmed in Labsoft BASIC (extended Applesoft) with an average control program using ca. 6 to 8 kilobytes of memory and up to 30 kilobytes for datum arrays. This modular microcomputer-based control system was easily coupled to laboratory scale fermentors for a variety of fermentations.

Journal Article↗

Hexavalent chromium-resistant bacteria isolated from river sediments.

Hexavalent chromium [Cr(VI)] is a known carcinogen and mutagen; however, the actual mechanisms of Cr toxicity are unknown. Two approaches were used to isolate Cr(VI)-resistant bacteria from metal-contaminated river sediments. Diluted sediments were plated directly onto a peptone-yeast extract (PYE) medium containing 0 to 100 micrograms of Cr(VI) ml-1. Approximately 8.4 x 10(5) CFU g-1 were recovered on 0 microgram of Cr(VI) ml-1, whereas 4.0 x 10(2) CFU g-1 were recovered on PYE plus 100 micrograms of Cr(VI) ml-1. Alternatively, continuous culture enrichment techniques were employed using PYE and 100 micrograms Cr(VI) ml-1 input at dilution rates of 0.02 and 0.10 h-1. After six residence periods, 10(9) CFU were recovered on PYE agar containing 0 microgram of Cr(VI) ml-1 and 10(7) CFU on PYE agar plus 100 micrograms of Cr(VI) ml-1. Of 89 isolates obtained by direct plating onto PYE, 47% were resistant to 100 micrograms of Cr(VI) ml-1, and 29% were resistant to 250 micrograms of Cr(VI) ml-1. When the same isolates were plated onto PYE containing Cr(III), 88% were resistant to 100 micrograms ml-1 but only 2% were resistant to 250 micrograms ml-1. Cr, Co, Sb, and Zn were found in significantly higher concentrations at an industry-related contaminated site than at a site 11 km downstream. Total Cr in the sediments at the contaminated site averaged 586 micrograms (dry weight) g-1, and the downstream site averaged 71 micrograms (dry weight) g-1. The Cr recovered from acid-digested Ottawa River sediment samples was predominantly hexavalent. Five acid digestion procedures followed by atomic absorption spectroscopy were compared and found to be 30 to 70% efficient for recovery of Cr relative to neutron activation analysis. A population of aerobic, heterotrophic bacteria was recovered from sediments containing elevated levels of Cr.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Bacteria, Aerobic↗