Method for Nutrient Pre-Loading of Microbial Cells
First Claim
1. A method for growing selected microbial cells in a non-sterile system comprising the steps of:
- providing a closed reactor for growing the selected microbial cells;
preparing a nutrient mix for supporting a desired level of growth of the selected microbial cells, with said nutrient mix including a required amount of each nutrient necessary for the desired level of growth and a surplus amount of a chosen nutrient exceeding the respective required amount;
feeding the nutrient mix into the closed reactor;
growing the selected microbial cells in the closed reactor to the desired level, with the selected microbial cells storing the surplus amount of the chosen nutrient;
eliminating the chosen nutrient from the non-sterile system; and
transferring the selected microbial cells to the non-sterile system, where the selected microbial cells rely on the stored surplus amount of the chosen nutrient for growth.
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Abstract
A method is provided for supporting the growth of selected microbial cells and for obstructing the growth of contaminants in a non-sterile system. In the method, the microbial cells are pre-loaded with a surplus amount of a chosen nutrient, such as phosphorus, other macronutrients, or micronutrients. Further, the chosen nutrient is greatly reduced, or eliminated, from the non-sterile system. Thereafter, the pre-loaded selected microbial cells are introduced into the non-sterile system. In the non-sterile system, the selected microbial cells rely on the surplus amount of the chosen nutrient to survive and grow. At the same time, contaminants such as non-selected microbial strains and bacteria starve from a lack of the chosen nutrient in the non-sterile system.
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Citations
23 Claims
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1. A method for growing selected microbial cells in a non-sterile system comprising the steps of:
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providing a closed reactor for growing the selected microbial cells; preparing a nutrient mix for supporting a desired level of growth of the selected microbial cells, with said nutrient mix including a required amount of each nutrient necessary for the desired level of growth and a surplus amount of a chosen nutrient exceeding the respective required amount; feeding the nutrient mix into the closed reactor; growing the selected microbial cells in the closed reactor to the desired level, with the selected microbial cells storing the surplus amount of the chosen nutrient; eliminating the chosen nutrient from the non-sterile system; and transferring the selected microbial cells to the non-sterile system, where the selected microbial cells rely on the stored surplus amount of the chosen nutrient for growth. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method for obstructing growth of contaminants in a system for growing selected microbial cells comprising the steps of:
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pre-loading the selected microbial cells with a surplus amount of a chosen nutrient; reducing the chosen nutrient in the system; and introducing the pre-loaded selected microbial cells to the system, wherein the selected microbial cells rely on the surplus amount of the chosen nutrient for growth in the system, and wherein the contaminants starve from a lack of the chosen nutrient in the system. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A method for growing selected microbial cells in a non-sterile system comprising the steps of:
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identifying each nutrient needed for growth of the selected microbial cells; establishing a desired level of growth of the selected microbial cells; ascertaining a required amount of each identified nutrient to support the desired level of growth of the selected microbial cells; choosing a nutrient from the identified nutrients for microbial cell preloading; determining a surplus amount of the chosen nutrient, with the surplus amount exceeding the required amount of the chose nutrient; supplying the surplus amount of the chosen nutrient and the required amounts of the identified nutrients to the selected microbial cells, wherein the selected microbial cells achieve the desired level of growth and wherein the selected microbial cells store the surplus amount of the chosen nutrient; reducing the chosen nutrient in the non-sterile system; and transferring the selected microbial cells to the non-sterile system, where the selected microbial cells rely on the stored surplus amount of the chosen nutrient for growth. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23)
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Specification