• Biotechnology and Bioprocess Engineering:BBE
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• v.6 no.3
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• pp.189-193
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• 2001

Critical cell density (CCD), the maximum cell concentration without mutual shading in algal cultures, can be used as a new operating parameter for high-density algal cultures and for the application of the flashing light effect on illuminated algal cultures. CCD is a function of average cell volume and light illumination area. The CCD is thus proposed as an index of estimation of mutual shading in algal cultures. Where cell densities are below the CCD, all the cells in photobioreactors can undergo photosysnthesis at their maximum rate. At cell densities over CCD, mutual shading will occur and some cells in the illumination chamber cannot grow photoautotrophically. When the cell concentration is higher than the CCD, specific oxygen production rates under flashing light were higher than those under continuous light. The CCD was found to be a useful engineering parameter for the application of flashing light, particularly in high-density algal cultures.

• Biotechnology and Bioprocess Engineering:BBE
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• v.8 no.6
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• pp.349-353
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• 2003

The physiological characteristics of cultures of very high cell mass (e.g. 10g cell mass/L), termed“ultrahigh cell density cultures”is reviewed. A close relationship was found between the length of the optical path (OP) in flat-plate reactors and the optimal cell density of the culture as well as its areal (g m$\^$-2/ day$\^$-1/) productivity. Cell-growth inhibition (GI) unfolds as culture density surpasses a certain threshold. If it is constantly relieved, a 1.0cm OP reactor could produce ca. 50% more than reactors with longer OP, e.g. 5 or 10cm. This unique effect, discovered by Hu et al. [3], is explained in terms of the relationships between the frequency of the light-dark cycle (L-D cycle), cells undergo in their travel between the light and dark volumes in the reactor, and the turnover time of the photosynthetic center (PC). In long OP reactors (5cm and above) the L-D cycle time may be orders of magnitude longer than the PC turnover time, resulting in a light regime in which the cells are exposed along the L-D cycle, to long, wasteful dark periods. In contrast, in reactors with an OP of ca. 1.0 cm, the L-D cycle frequency approaches the PC turnover time resulting in a significant reduction of the wasteful dark exposure time, thereby inducing a surge in photosynthetic efficiency. Presently, the major difficulty in mass cultivation of ultrahigh-density culture (UHDC) concerns cell growth inhibition in the culture, the exact nature of which is awaiting detailed investigation.

• ALGAE
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.127-141
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• 2018

Low efficiency in microalgal biomass production was largely attributed to the low density of algal cell cultures. Though mutations that reduced the level of chlorophyll or pigment content increased efficiency of photon usage and thus the cell-culture density under high-illumination growth conditions (e.g., >$500{\mu}mol\;photon\;m^{-2}\;s^{-1}$), it was unclear whether algae could increase cell-culture density under low-illumination conditions (e.g., ${\sim}50{\mu}mol\;photon\;m^{-2}\;s^{-1}$). To address this question, we performed forward genetic screening in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. A pool of >1,000 insertional mutants was constructed and subjected to continuous subcultures in shaking flasks under low-illumination conditions. Complexity of restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) pattern in cultures indicated the degree of heterogeneity of mutant populations. We showed that the levels of RFLP complexity decreased when cycles of subculture increased, suggesting that cultures were gradually populated by high cell-culture density (HCD) strains. Analysis of the 3 isolated HCD mutants after 30 cycles of subcultures confirmed that their maximal biomass production was 50-100% higher than that of wild type under low-illumination. Furthermore, levels of chlorophyll content in HCD mutant strains were similar to that of wild type. Inverse polymerase chain reaction analysis identified the locus of insertion in two of three HCD strains. Molecular and transcriptomic analyses suggested that two HCD mutants were a result of the gain-of-function phenotype, both linking to the abnormality of mitochondrial functions. Taken together, our results demonstrate that HCD strains can be obtained through continuous subcultures under low illumination conditions.

• Biotechnology and Bioprocess Engineering:BBE
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• v.10 no.6
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• pp.564-570
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• 2005

In the present study, the protective effects of Bcl-2 over-expression in a suspension culture (without any adaptation) and spent medium (low nutrient and high toxic metabolite conditions) were investigated. In the suspension culture without prior adaptation, the viability of the control cell line fall to 0% by day 7, whereas the Bcl-2 cell line had a viability of 65%. The difference in the viability and viable cell density between the Bcl-2 and control cell lines was more apparent in the suspension culture than the static culture, and became even more apparent on day 6. Fluorescence microscopic counting revealed that the major mechanism of cell death in the control cell line in both the static and suspension cultures was apoptosis. For the Bcl-2 cell lines, necrosis was the major mode of cell death in the static culture, but apoptosis became equally important in the suspension culture. When the NS0 6A1 cell line was cultured in spent medium taken from a 14 day batch culture, the control cell line almost completely lost its viability by day 5, whereas, the Bcl-2 still had a viability of 73%. The viable cell density and viability of the Bcl-2 cell line cultivated in fresh medium were 2.2 and 2.7 fold higher, respectively, than those of the control cultures. However, the viable cell density and viability of the Bcl-2 cultivated in the spent medium were 8.7 and 7.8 fold higher, respectively, than those of the control cultures. Most of the dead cells in the control cell line were apoptotic; whereas, the major cell death mechanisms in the Bcl-2 cell line were necrotic.

• Biotechnology and Bioprocess Engineering:BBE
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• v.6 no.4
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• pp.301-305
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• 2001

The co-expression of the arg U gene in a double-vector expression system of recombi-nant Escherichia coli BL22(DE3)[pET-IEN2a+pAC-argU] significantly enhanced the production level of reconminant human interferon -$\alpha$2a(rhIFN-$\alpha$2a) in high cell density cultures, compared to a recombinant E. coli culture containing only the single expression vector, pET-IEN2a. The dry cell mass concentration increased to almost 100 g/L, and more than 4 g/L of rhIFN-$\alpha$2a was accumu-lated in the culture broth. Evidently, the synthesis of rhIFN-$\alpha$2a was strongly dependent on the pre-induction growtih rate and more efficient at a higher specific growth rate. The additional sup-ply of tRN $A^{Arg(AGG/AGA)}$ enhanced the expression level of the rhIFN-$\alpha$2a gene in the early stage of the post-induction phase, yet thereafter the specific production rate of rhIFN-$\alpha$2a rapidly de-creased due to severe segregational instability of plasmid vector pET-IEN2a. It would appear that the plasmid instability with only occurred to pET-IEN2a in the double vector system, was re-lated to the effect of translational stress due to the over expression of rhIFN-$\alpha$2a.

• Biotechnology and Bioprocess Engineering:BBE
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.110-117
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• 2000

Relationship between monoclonal antibody (MAb) productivity and growth rate, and effects of high cell density on MAb production rate increased with increasing specifis growth rate in both suspended and immobilized continuous cultures indicate a positively growth-associated relationship between MAb productivity and growth rate. moreover, the specific production rate was higher in the immobilized cell culture than that in suspended one at all dilution rates. In order to clarify these phenomana, MAb mPNA experession and cell cycle distribution were investigated in bacth cultures with immobilized cells and suspended cells. RT-PCR was used for observation of MAb mRNA expression and a two-color bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU)/propidium iodide (PI) flow cytometry method for determination of cell cycle distribution. The results revealed that MAb nRNA expression until dead phase, which was longer than in suspended cell. The cell cycle distribution patterns were observed almost the same for both immobilized and suspended cells. Such results may imply that a high cell density state has positive influence on the mRNA expression and on growth-associated Mab productivity of T0405 cells.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.10 no.6
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• pp.817-822
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• 2000

A proper flashing light is expected to enhance microalgal biomass productivity and photosynthetic efficiency. The effect of flashing light on high-density Chlorella kessleri (UTEX 398) cultures was studied using light-emitting diodes. A frequency modulator was designed to flash LEDs, and the device successfully provided wide range of frequencies and various duty cycles of flashing. A relatively high frequencies of 10, 20 and 50 kHz were used in this study. These frequencies have very short flashing time ($2-50{\mu}s$), which corresponded to the time constant of the light reaction of photosynthesis. The specific oxygen production rates of photosynthesis under flashing light were compared with those under an equivalent continuous light in specially designed illumination cuvette. The specific oxygen production rates under flashing light were 5-25% higher than those under the continuous light. A range of cell concentration was discovered, where the benefit of flashing light was maximized. The photosynthetic efficiency was also higher under flashing light with frequencies of over 1 kHz, which was a clear indication of flashing light effect and the degree of mutual shading could by overcome by flashing lights, particularly at high-density algal cultures.

• KSBB Journal
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.438-443
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• 1998

Effects of various environmental factors on cell size index(FCW/DCW) in Thalictrum rugosum. Lithospermum erythrorhizon and Taxus cuspidata plant cell suspension cultures were investigated. Time course change of cell size index were also observed. In batch cultures, FCW/DCW increased according to the decrease of sugar concentration. For short-term experiment within 24 hr, FCW/DCW value could be reduced significantly by increasing sugar concentration. When an osmoticum such as mannitol was added, FCW/DCW converged to a low value. Therefore, it was confirmed that osmolality of the medium was important in determining cell size or water content of the cells. Inorganic salts or treatment with organic solvent also exhibited some effect on the cell size index. However, pH and centrifugal force did not show any influences. On the other hand, it was found that the addition of Pluronic F-68 reduced FCW/DCW. By combining these results effectively, it may be possible to increase the cell concentration in high density culture to a higher extent.

• Biotechnology and Bioprocess Engineering:BBE
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.21-25
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• 1999

Two low-salt complex media, bactopeptone and desalted yeast extract, were used for high density cultivation of the hyperthermophilic archaeon Sulfolobus solfataricus (DSM 1617). Bactopeptone, which has low mineral ion content among various complex media, was good for cell growth in batch cultures; the maximal cell density in bactopeptone was comparable to that in yeast extract. However, cell growth was rather poor when bactopeptone was added by the fed-batch procedure. Since several vitamins are deficient in abctopeptone, the effect of vitamins on cell growth was examined. Among the vitamins tested, pyridoxine was found to improve the growth rate of S. solfataricus. To reduce the growth inhibition caused by mineral ions, yeast extract was dialyzed against distilled water and then fed-batch cultures were carried out using a fed medium containing desalted yeast extract. Although the concentrations of mineral ions in yeast extract were significantly lowered by the dialysis whether low molecular weight solutes in yest extract are crucial for cell growth, we investigated the effect of trehalose, a most abundant compatible solute in yeast extract, on the growth pattern. Cell densities were increased and the length of the lag phase was markedly shortened by the presence of trehalose, indicating that trehalose plays an important role in the growth of S. solfataricus.

• KSBB Journal
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.160-166
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• 1999

High cell density cultivation of microalga Dunaliella bardawil using nitrogen fed-batch cultures was studied in batch flask. Optimum environmental conditions include concentrated nutrients except NaCl and carbon sources, carbon sources, pH, light, agitation, nitrate and phosphate ions. Cell growth, consumption rates of nitrate and phosphate ions were monitored. Optimal conditions for higher cell density were found to be(in the range tested): 5 times concentrated media(1 times-10 times concentrated media) pH 8.0 (7.0-9.0) white light(blue and red light) 15mM of nitrate (0.94-15mM) 250mM $NaHCO_3$ and $CO_2$ gas. However, the addition of phosphate ions did not enhance the algal maximum cell density and specific growth rate. Nitrate was found to be effective for the cell growth. The maximum cell density of fed-batch culture using nitrate ions in $8.955{\times}106$cells/ml after 189hr incubation.