INFLUENCE OF VARIOUS METABOLITES ON GROWTH OF COXIELLA BURNETII IN MONOLAYER CULTURES OF CHICK EMBRYO ENTODERMAL CELLS

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Abstract
The factors influencing the growth of Coxiella burnetii in chick embryo entodermal cell monolayers were investigated. The methods of preparation and infection of the cultures and determination of extent of rickettsial growth were similar, but somewhat simpler than those reported by Weiss and Pietryk. The addition of Morgan 199 or Eagle''s constituents to a basal medium composed of untreated chicken serum and Hanks balanced salt solution significantly inhibited rickettsial growth. The amino acids and glutamine of Eagle''s medium proved to be the inhibitory factors. Rickettsial growth was also greatly depressed in the absence of serum or in the presence of dialyzed or chloroform-treated serum. The addition of individual metabolites produced variable results. Pyruvate yielded rather consistent results. Enhancement or inhibition was obtained within a very small range of concentrations, 2.5 to 0.75 mM enhancing and 10 mM usually inhibitory. Glucose did not affect the growth of the. rickettsiae or influence the enhancing effect of pyruvate. In one experiment diphospho-pyridine nucleotide was inhibitory in concentrations 0.1 and 0.05 mM but enhancing at 0.025 mM. Although somewhat similar results were obtained with adenosine triphosphate and coenzyme A this effect has not been reproducible.