Vannella cirrifera (Frenzel) Page

Frozen ampules packed in dry ice should either be thawed immediately or stored in liquid nitrogen.  If liquid nitrogen storage facilities are not available, frozen ampules may be stored at or below -70°C for approximately one week.  Do not under any circumstance store frozen ampules at refrigerator freezer temperatures (generally -20°C).  Storage of frozen material at this temperature will result in the death of the culture.

1. To thaw a frozen ampule, place in a 35°C water bath, until thawed (2-3 min). Immerse the ampule just sufficient to cover the frozen material.  Do not agitate the ampule.

2.   Immediately after thawing, aseptically transfer contents to a screw-capped borosilicate test tube containing ATCC Medium 5. Incubate the tube on a 15° horizontal slant at 50-100 µEinsteins/m²/s irradiance at 25°C with the cap loosened one half turn. Maintain under a 14/10 h light-dark photoperiod and subculture every 14-21 days.

2.   Incubate at 50-100 µEinsteins/m²/s irradiance at 25° C with the cap loosened one half turn. Maintain under a 14/10 h light-dark photoperiod and subculture every 14-21 days.

1.   Harvest cells from a culture which is at or near peak density by adding 3.0 ml fresh ATCC medium 5 broth to the slant and washing cells into suspension.

2.   Adjust the concentration of cells to 2 x 10⁶ -2 x 10⁷  / ml with fresh broth medium, then dilute to half this concentration by adding an equal amount of a 10% (v/v) sterile methanol solution in fresh ATCC medium 5 broth.

3.  Dispense in 0.5 ml aliquots into 1.0 - 2.0 ml sterile plastic screw-capped cryules (special plastic vials for cryopreservation). The time from the mixing of the cell preparation and methanol stock solution to the beginning of the freezing process should be no less than 5 min and no greater than 15 min.

4.   Place vials in a controlled rate freezing unit. From room temperature cool at -1°C/min to -40°C. If freezing unit can compensate for the heat of fusion, maintain rate at -1 C/min through heat of fusion. At -40°C plunge ampules into liquid nitrogen. Alternatively, place the vials in a Nalgene 1°C freezing apparatus.  Place the apparatus at -80°C for 1.5 to 2 hours and then plunge ampules into liquid nitrogen.  (The cooling rate in this apparatus is approximately -1°C/min.)   

5.   The frozen preparations should be stored in either the vapor or liquid phase of a nitrogen refrigerator. Frozen preparations stored below -130°C are stabile indefinitely. Those stored at temperatures above -130°C are progressively less stabile as the storage temperature is elevated. Vials can be stored between -80 and -70°C for no longer than one week.

6.   To establish a culture from the frozen state place an ampule in a water bath set at 35°C. Immerse the vial to a level just above the surface of the frozen material. Do not agitate the vial.

7.   Immediately after thawing, do not leave in the water bath, aseptically remove the contents of the ampule and add to a centrifuge tube containing 5 ml of ATCC medium 5 without agar.  Centrifuge at 300 x g for 5 min.

10.Remove most of the supernatant (=methanol, which can inhibit growth) and then resuspend the pellet.  Transfer the culture to a fresh tube of ATCC medium 5 and incubate on a 15° horizontal slant at 50-100 µEinsteins/m²/s irradiance at 25°C with the cap loosened one half turn.  Maintain under a 14/10 h light-dark photoperiod and subculture every 14-21 days.