Improved protocol for the preparation of tetraselmis suecica axenic culture and adaptation to heterotrophic cultivation.

• Main Authors: Azma, Mojtaba, Mohamad, Rosfarizan, Abdul Rahim , Raha, Ariff , Arbakariya
• Format: Article
• Language: English; English
• Published: Bentham Science Publishers 2010
• Online Access: http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/15139/1/Improved%20protocol%20for%20the%20preparation%20of%20tetraselmis%20suecica%20axenic%20culture%20and%20adaptation%20to%20heterotrophic%20cultivation.pdf; http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/15139/
• Institution: Universiti Putra Malaysia

The effectiveness of various physical and chemical methods for the removal of contaminants from the microal-gae, Tetraselmis suecica, culture was investigated. The information obtained was used as the basis for the development of improved protocol for the preparation of axenic culture to be adapted to heterotrophic cultivation. Repeated centrifugation and rinsing effectively removed the free bacterial contaminants from the microalgae culture while sonication helped to loosen up the tightly attached bacterial contaminants on the microalgae cells. Removal of bacterial spores was accom- plished using a mixture of two antibiotics, 5 mg/mL vancomycine and 10 mg/mL neomycine. Walne medium formulation with natural seawater was preferred for the enhancement of growth of T. suecica. Adaptation of growth from photoautot- rophic to heterotrophic conditions was achieved by the repeated cultivation of photoautotrophic culture with sequential reduction in illumination time, and finally the culture was inoculated into the medium containing 10 g/L glucose, incu- bated in total darkness to obtain heterotrophic cells. Changes in the morphology and composition of T. suecica cells dur- ing the adaptation from photoautotrophic to heterotrophic condition, as examined under Transmission Electron Micro- scope, were also reported.