Teflon chemostat for studies of trace metal metabolism in Streptococcus mutans and other bacteria

A teflon chemostat constructed for studies of microbial trace metal metabolism is described. The utility of this continuous culture system was demonstrated with Streptococcus mutans, in which iron and manganese stimulated growth in ranges of 0.18 to 0.45 and 18 to 54 microM, respectively. This device should facilitate studies of the effect of trace metals on a variety of physiological functions.