I would like to know about SOPs with reference on growing cyanobacteria on solid media.
Ayushi,
Helpful hints: It can be useful to use multiple types of media, e.g. using both Z8 and BG11 when beginning, then a nitrogen free formulation if you need to stimulate the production of heterocytes. Different CBs from even the same habitat or sample site may grow better on different substrates. Unless you have a room where the humidity is regulated, parafilm your plates to keep in the moisture, but flip them upside down to keep the condensation from flooding the colonies. Hope this helps!
@Ayushi: This is best manual how to cultivate CB on
solidified media "Rippka R. Isolation and purification of cyanobacteria. Methods Enzymol. 1988;167:3-27. Review". Besides, I would like to share with you something from my experience. 1) Keep in mind that many CB are motile forms. They are able to "swim" or swarm on more harder media than E. coli, for instance. That is why I used solidified media with even 2.5% of agar to get single colonies. However, keep in mind that even best types of agar contains enough organic to support the growth of heterotrophic microbes living in the association with CB. That is why I usually used best a low melting agarose instead of an agar. Good luck! IB
Dear Ayushi,
Cn you specify, which Cyanobacteria you want to grow? The cultivation procedures may differ substantially.
Ayushi,
Helpful hints: It can be useful to use multiple types of media, e.g. using both Z8 and BG11 when beginning, then a nitrogen free formulation if you need to stimulate the production of heterocytes. Different CBs from even the same habitat or sample site may grow better on different substrates. Unless you have a room where the humidity is regulated, parafilm your plates to keep in the moisture, but flip them upside down to keep the condensation from flooding the colonies. Hope this helps!
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