Ectocarpus fasciculatus: Marine brown alga requiring Kinetin [23]

Abstract

MARINE brown algae never grow as well in artificial media as in natural sea water1. I have been growing Ectocarpus fasciculatus and Lithosiphon pusillus in a completely defined medium, Asp 6F2, since 1966 - these algae grow in 25 ml. of solution, in fluorescent light (2,000 lux) at 17°C. Unialgal cultures (obtained by dragging the algae through agar) were treated with 'Neomycin' (Upjohn, 4 mg/ml.) to obtain a culture free of bacteria (checked according to Fries's test2). Unknown drop-shaped organisms, however (noted by Fries2), were still attached to Ectocarpus fasciculatus. Small pieces of the algae were used as inocula. The algae grow slowly with a callus-like appearance in bacteria-free cultures. © 1968 Nature Publishing Group.