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Dynamics of plasmid maintenance in a CSTR upon square‐wave perturbations in the dilution rate
Author(s) -
Weber Allison E.,
San KaYiu
Publication year - 1989
Publication title -
biotechnology and bioengineering
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.136
H-Index - 189
eISSN - 1097-0290
pISSN - 0006-3592
DOI - 10.1002/bit.260340812
Subject(s) - chemostat , dilution , plasmid , population , continuous stirred tank reactor , chemistry , biology , microbiology and biotechnology , genetics , thermodynamics , physics , dna , bacteria , medicine , environmental health
The effects of forced oscillations in the dilution rate on a population of Escherichia coli K12 harboring the plasmid pBR322 in a chemostat with a nonselective medium were studied. In the constant dilution rate control experiments, the percentage of plasmid‐containing cells decreased after a long lag time. Eventually, the culture approached a population consisting of 100% plasmid‐free ells. However, under forced perturbations of the dilution rate, the culture maintained a mixed population of plasmid‐free and plasmid‐carrying cells for a longer period of ime. An unstructured model was developed to describe the above observations. Our results indicate that transient conditions created by dilution‐rate perturbations provide a favorable environment for the plasmid‐carrying population. In addition, experiments with different cycling frequencies suggest that adaptation by the culture to these transient conditions will reduce or totally eliminate such an advantage.