[Physiological and biochemical properties of a Pseudomonas methanolica culture under chemostat cultivation]

The effect of different concentrations of methanol on Pseudomonas methanolica BKM B-1131 was studied. The limitation of growth by methanol in chemostat was found at a concentration of the substrate below 0.1--0.23 per cent; higher concentrations resulted in the appearance of residual methanol in the medium and in a decrease of the economic coefficient. A declining chemostat curve has been obtained when the growth was limited by a deficiency of methanol. If the growth rate increased, the content of RNA remained the same, the content of protein decreased from 50 to 39 per cent, and the content of POBA increased. Changes in the specific activity of some key enzymes of the Krebs and Embden-Meyerhof cycles and of methanol dehydrogenase suggest an increase in the activity of the Krebs cycle enzymes with the growth rate because at this time the substances between acetate and pyruvate are accumulated which are favourable substrates for the synthesis of POBA.