Comparison of the electrooptical properties and specific respiratory activity of Acinetobacter calcoaceticum A-122

The electrooptical (EO) properties of a cell suspension and the specific re spiratory activity of cells towards p-nitrophenol (PNP) were compared durin g PNP metabolism in Acinetobacter calcoaceticum strain A-122. The frequency dependence of the suspension's turbidity changes due to cellular orientati on (orientational spectra) at frequencies of an orienting electric field of 10-10 000 kHz was determined. Orientational spectral changes observed duri ng PNP incubation of the cells were followed over the range of 10-502 kHz. There were linear relationships between the magnitude of the EO effect at a 502-kHz frequency and the concentration of PNP over the range of 0.1-0.8 m M, and between the specific respiratory activity of the cells and the conce ntration of PNP over the range of 0.1-1.0 mM. The knowledge gained from the se studies suggests a direct relationship between alterations in the cellul ar EO properties and PNP metabolism. (C) 1999 Published by Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.