RT Journal Article SR Electronic(1) A1 Nord, C.-E. A1 Möllby, R. A1 Smyth, C. A1 Wadström, T.YR 1974 T1 Formation of Phospholipase C and Theta-haemolysin in Pre-reduced Media in Batch and Continuous Culture of Clostridium perfringens Type A JF Microbiology, VO 84 IS 1 SP 117 OP 127 DO https://doi.org/10.1099/00221287-84-1-117 PB Microbiology Society, SN 1465-2080, AB SUMMARY: Clostridium perfringens type A (atcc13124) was grown in bottles (static culture) and in fermenters (batch and continuous culture) in a proteose peptone medium supplemented with phosphate, cysteine, vitamins and different carbohydrates. The lag phase was shorter and the growth rate higher when the medium was pre-reduced. The final yields of bacteria, phospholipase C, and theta-haemolysin were also significantly higher in the pre-reduced medium. The optimum pH for maximum bacterial yield was 7·0 and the optimum temperature for growth was 37°C. The formation of phospholipase C was optimum between pH 6·0 and 7·0 and for theta-haemolysin between pH 7·0 and 7·5. The optimum temperaure for synthesis of both phospholipase C and theta-haemolysin was 37°C. Culture under controlled conditions gave more reproducible production of these two proteins than experiments in bottles. The cultures reached the stationary phase before phospholipase C activity started to decline, while theta-haemolysin activity was stable. The strain was also grown in continuous culture at a dilution rate of 0·4 h−1, at pH 7·0 and 37°C, with a yield of 1·2 mg dry wt/ml in the complex medium supplemented with glucose (5 g/l). After the continuous feed was started the activity of phospholipase C declined very rapidly to zero, while theta-haemolysin continued to be produced at a constant level. Thus continuous culture offered no benefit over batch culture for reproducible laboratory-scale production of phospholipase C., UL https://www.microbiologyresearch.org/content/journal/micro/10.1099/00221287-84-1-117