Immobilization of microbial cells in crosslinked, prepolymerized, linear polyacrylamide gels: antibiotic production by immobilized Streptomyces clavuligerus cells

Journal Article · Tue Dec 01 04:00:00 EST 1981 · Biotechnol. Bioeng.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1002/bit.260231209· OSTI ID:5404454

Freeman, A; Aharonowitz, Y

A mild method for the immobilization of whole microbial cells has been developed. Cells were suspended in a solution of preformed, linear, water-soluble polyacrylamide chains, partially substituted with acylhydrazide groups. The prepolymerized backbone polymer was crosslinked, in the presence of viable cells, by stoichiometric amounts of dialdehydes such as glyoxal, glutardialdehyde, and periodate-oxidized polyvinyl alcohol. The crosslinking reaction, carried out in cold, neutral physiological conditions resulted in cells entrapped in gels with physical properties similar to those of the common polyacrylamide gels. However, cell damage generally caused by the acrylamide monomer was avoided. Resting Streptomyces clavuligerus cells, possessing a high capacity for antibiotic production, were entrapped according to this procedure. These immobilized cells produced cephalosporins continuously for 96 hours with yields similar to those of free resting cells. The same cells, when immobilized by direct polymerization of acrylamide monomers, yielded significantly lower amounts of antibiotics. (Refs. 19).

• Research Organization: The George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel-Aviv Univ., Tel-Aviv, Israel
• OSTI ID: 5404454
• Journal Information: Biotechnol. Bioeng.; (United States), Journal Name: Biotechnol. Bioeng.; (United States) Vol. 23:12; ISSN BIBIA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

550700* -- Microbiology
59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
ANTI-INFECTIVE AGENTS
ANTIBIOTICS
BACTERIA
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CULTURE MEDIA
DRUGS
IMMOBILIZED CELLS
MICROORGANISMS
POLYMERIZATION
POLYMERS
PRODUCTION
STREPTOMYCES
TECHNOLOGY UTILIZATION