Tisochrysis lutea

Q:       I am interested to understand the life cycle of phytoplanktons, and its role on the carbon cycle. As I was searching for the same, I came across your website and liked the purpose and the information. I would like to grow phytoplanktons in the lab and study it. I am not too sure if I should start with CCMP1324.

A:       I think that CCMP1324 is an excellent choice. It is easy to grow, has a wide temperature range. It can also an aquaculture strain so it can be ordered and shipped the next day. you may want to do a litriture search and see what has and has not been done with this organism.

Q:  I would like to know the cryopreservation methods (freezing and/or thawing protocols).  Is it possible to isolate single colony of tis strain? What will be the protocol for making the agar plate if it is possible.

A:       CCMP1324 was cryopreserved with a 6%DMSO CPA.  This culture was started in a tube of L1+/50uM NH4Cl/0.075%agar medium at 20 degrees C.   Test vials were thawed  at 20 degrees just until the ice started to melt and the entire contents of the cryovials could be pipetted out and subcultured into a tube of room temperature L1 medium after a ~1 second low speed spin in an Eppendorf centrifuge to get all the liquid out of the cap .They were grown at 20 degrees C in high light. 

Q:       How do you guys isolate single cell for CCMP1324? I would like to isolate single cells and grow for analysis.

A:       I would try streak plating or serial dilutions if I were looking for single cells.