Production kinetics in cell culture

Question 1

What are the 3 categories of kinetics of production?

Answer 1

• Compounds in the first category are formed directly as end- or by-products such as ethanol of energy metabolism; these materials are synthesised using pathways that produce ATP
• The second category of products such as amino acids is partly linked to energy generation (not considered here)
• The third category is the formation of other products such as antibiotics involving reactions far removed from energy metabolism (not considered here)

Question 2

What’s the equation for the rate of product formation in cell culture as a function of biomass concentration?

Answer 2

Question 3

What are some examples of products directly associated with energy generation in the cell (first category)

Answer 3

Ethanol, acetic acid, gluconic acid, acetone, butanol, lactic acid, and other products of
anaerobic fermentation

Question 4

What are some examples of products indirectly associated with energy generation? (second category)

Answer 4

Amino acids and their products, citric acid, nucleotides

Question 5

What are some examples of products for which there is no clear
direct or indirect coupling to energy
generation (third category)

Answer 5

Penicillin, streptomycin, vitamins

Question 6

What’s the result of production being coupled with energy metabolism in a cell?

Answer 6

Product will be formed whenever there is growth.

Question 7

ATP is required for growth. What else is it used for?

Answer 7

ATP is also required for other activities called maintenance such as adjustment of membrane potential

Question 8

Give the kinetic expression for the rate of product formation (accounting for growth-associated
and maintenance-associated production)?

Answer 8