FIG. 1.

Growth of BCG in the Wayne dormancy culture system and in aerated roller bottles. Solid circles show the growth curve of BCG under the oxygen-limited conditions of the Wayne dormancy culture system. Aerobic exponential precultures were diluted to an A₆₀₀ of 0.005 with Dubos Tween-albumin broth (Difco) and grown in sealed tubes (2 by 12.5 cm; 17-ml culture volume) under gentle stirring at 170 rpm as described previously (12, 24). Anaerobiosis in the stationary phase was monitored using the redox indicator methylene blue (24). Empty circles show the growth curve of BCG under non-oxygen-limited conditions in roller bottles. Precultures were diluted to an A₆₀₀ of 0.05 and grown in roller bottles (10 by 14 cm; 100-ml culture volume). Cultures were aerated in a roller apparatus at 1 rpm. The roller bottles were opened daily for turbidity measurements and to allow exchange of the air. Mean values and standard deviations from four independent experiments are shown. Arrows indicate the time points when samples were taken for protein and RNA analyses.