Cryopreservation of the edible alkalophilic cyanobacterium Arthrospira platensis. Issue 10 (2nd October 2016) - Shiraishi, Hideaki
Abstract: Efficient cryopreservation conditions for the edible alkalophilic cyanobacterium Arthrospira ( Spirulina ) platensis were investigated using a model strain A. platensis NIES-39. As a result, it was found that more than 60% of cells were viable upon thawing, when they had been frozen at a cooling rate of approximately −1 °C min −1 in the presence of 10% (v/v) dimethyl sulfoxide. Further examination with other Arthrospira strains showed that many of them had strain-dependent optimal conditions for cryopreservation. For example, the best freezing conditions for A. platensis SAG 21.99 were snap-freezing in liquid nitrogen in the presence of 5% (v/v) dimethyl sulfoxide, while they were slow cooling at approximately −1 °C min −1 in the presence of 10% (v/v) methanol for A. platensis NIES-46, NIES-2308 and UTEX 1926. The variety of successful cryopreservation conditions presented in this study is useful when attempting to cryopreserve various Arthrospira strains. Graphical abstract: : The conditions for efficient cryopreservation of Arthrospira platensis were determined. They enable genetically stable preservation of many A. platensis strains.