We are trying to culture thermophiles in our lab.
The samples were obtained from sediments and biofilms near a hot spring; we noticed significant turbidity in the enrichment flasks after incubation at 60°C for 2 days. The enriched media was used as an inoculum for agar plates but we noticed that:
- The parafilm became perforated,
- The agar started drying up and cracks showed up,
- No colonies appeared even after 3 days of incubation at 60°C
Can someone suggest ways to prevent this from happening? Any other tips related to culturing of thermophiles for beginners are welcome.
Pierre Béguin
You can put your plates in an airtight container, e.g. Tupperware will do, with paper towels soaked with water at the bottom to maintain a moist atmosphere. If no such airtight container is avaiable, you can seal the lid with adhesive paper. Forget Parafilm, which doesn't withstand 60 °C.
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