In microbiological research, the preparation of culture medium is one of the key steps for successful experiments. Especially when cultivating specific microorganisms, such as Legionella pneumophila, choosing the appropriate buffer is crucial for maintaining the stability and effectiveness of the culture medium. This article aims to explore the differences in the performance of three commonly used buffers in yeast extract culture media - ACES (N-2-hydroxyethylpiperazine-N '-2-ethanesulfonic acid), MOPS buffer(3- (N-morpholino) propanesulfonic acid), and MOPSO (3- (N-morpholino-2-hydroxypropanesulfonic acid) - in cultivating Legionella pneumophila.

MOPS buffer

ACES (N - (2-acetamide) -2-aminoethanesulfonic acid)

ACES is a widely used biological buffer with a pKa value of 6.8 (measured at 25 ° C). Due to its excellent buffering capacity and growth promoting effect on specific microorganisms such as Legionella pneumophila, ACES plays an important role in BCYE alpha medium. However, ACES is not without its drawbacks. On the one hand, its relatively high cost makes it uneconomical in some large-scale or long-term experiments. On the other hand, ACES is prone to degradation after prolonged use, which may affect the stability of buffering effects and the reliability of experimental results.

MOPS (3-methylpropanesulfonic acid)

MOPS is a buffer solution with a pKa value of 7.2 (measured at 25 ° C). Compared to ACES, MOPS has a cost advantage and higher stability. These characteristics have made MOPS widely used in the fields of biochemistry and cell culture. MOPS can serve as an effective alternative to ACES in BCYE α medium, especially in applications that require cost reduction. In addition, the stability of MOPS also means that it can maintain a stable buffering effect over a longer experimental period, thereby improving the accuracy of experimental results.

MOPSO (3- (N-morpholino) -2-hydroxypropanesulfonic acid)

MOPSO is chemically similar to MOPS, with a pKa value of 7.2 (measured at 25 ° C). This makes MOPSO comparable in buffering capacity to MOPS. Meanwhile, MOPSO also inherits the stability and cost-effectiveness of MOPS. MOPSO can also serve as a substitute for ACES in BCYE α medium. In some studies, MOPSO has even shown similar effectiveness as ACES, further demonstrating its potential as a biological buffer.

Comparison of three buffering agents in BCYE α medium

ACES is usually added to BCYE α medium for culturing Legionella pneumophila. If there is a high demand for buffer solution, ACES is usually chosen.

For customers who can accept slight differences in buffering capacity, it is recommended to choose MOPS with lower costs. Although the pKa of ACES is 6.8 (25 ° C), which is closer to the pH value of BCYE α medium, MOPS with a pKa of 7.2 (25 ° C) can still provide good buffering capacity for practical applications at a lower cost.

The test results of 9 strains of Legionella pneumophila showed no significant difference in the cultivation effect between ACES and MOPS, further supporting the feasibility of MOPS as a substitute for ACES.

4. There was no significant difference in the cultivation of Legionella pneumophila F889 strain using ACES, MOPS, and MOPSO, indicating that MOPS and MOPSO can effectively replace ACES.

Product packaging

Choosing the appropriate biological buffer is crucial for the success of the experiment. Hubei Xindesheng Material Technology Co., Ltd., as a technology enterprise specializing in the research and production of biological buffers, provides dozens of biological buffers including ACES, MOPS, MOPSO, etc. These products not only have the characteristic of small inter batch differences, but are also known for their competitive prices, providing professional and reliable services to more than 400 customers at home and abroad.