A Special Problem
Isolation and Purification of Lyngbya majuscula on Nutrient-enriched Agar Plates
ABSTRACT
Lyngbya majuscula samples were obtained from the Phycology Laboratory stock culture of the UPV Institute of Aquaculture. Five (5) mm fragments of these were inoculated into agar plates that used 1% agar concentration enriched with varying concentrations (1.0%, 1.5%, and 2.0%) of Hughes, et. al. (1958) Mineral Medium No. II.
After ten (10) days of culture, the Trichome Length (TL), Trichome Width (TW), Sheath Width (SW) and Total Length of the Lyngbya filaments were measured from photomicrographs of the samples using Image Tool (Version 3.00) developed by the University of Texas Health Science in San Antonio (UTHSCSA).
Lyngbya filaments in all cultures enriched with the Hughes medium obtained significantly higher TL and TW over those of the control treatment. But enrichment of the agar medium did not result in an increase of sheath widths.
Filaments cultured in 1.5% and 2% enriched agar showed contamination. Those in 1% nutrient concentration had comparable growth, but no contamination. Furthermore, Lyngbya cultured in enriched agar did not grow beyond the area of inoculation. Isolation was also more difficult in agar than in the liquid control medium.
INTRODUCTION
As early as the 1900s, Lyngbya sp. blooms were documented in the areas of Eastern Moreton Bay and Bribie Island in Australia (Abal & Lawn, 2004). Lyngbya is a genus which is composed of species which are usually inhabitants of the sea. Numerous species reside in estuarine places and in brackish channels. Others are found in freshwater areas and thermal springs (Harvey, 1857). Lyngbya has been found to be a nuisance in the areas of South Eastern United States. It is a cyanobacteria which lives naturally in the benthic zone (Gross & Martin, 1996). In recent studies, it has been