Axenic culture of the sea cyanobacterias Aphanothece halophytica Frémy, 1933 and Chroococcus minutus (Kützing) Nägeli, 1849

Abstract

This work demonstrates the method used to obtain axenic culture of the cyanobacteria Aphanothece halophytica and Chroococcus minutes, both from salt flats in Arraial do Cabo municipality, Rio de Janeiro state. In salt flats, these organisms are structured microbial mats, which makes their isolation more dif cult and consequently the establishment of axenic cultures. Thus, using a combination of microscopy techniques associated with the use of sodium azide and sodium fluoride for inhibition of the electron transport chain and glycolysis, respectively, only microorganisms that carry out photosynthesis could survive. During cyanobacteria growth, biometric measurements were performed to monitor the morphological development of these microorganisms in limiting medium. At the end of the proposed growth period, we observed that the methodology applied for isolation and obtaining axenic cultures was effective as an alternative to grow the cyanobacteria A. halophytica and C. minutus.