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The World of Protozoa, Rotifera, Nematoda and Oligochaeta

Ref ID : 949

Emanuel J. Vacchiano, Joseph L. Kut, Mark L. Wyatt, and Howard E. Buhse, Jr.; A novel method for mass-culturing Vorticella. J.Protozool. 38(6):608-613, 1991

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A method is described for producing large numbers of Vorticella in a reliable and predictable manner for biochemical analysis. This technique consists of growing Vorticella convallaria along with the bacterium Acetobacter lwoffi and an unidentified flagellate in 500 ml of Cerophly in a 2.8-liter low-form flask. Many unattached Vorticella consisting of both free-swimming telotrochs and stalked zooids are produced by changing the medium, which induces formation of telotrochs and, in combination with gentle shaking of the culture for 24 hr, induces many cells to detach from the flask. These unattached cells are used to inoculate a new sterile flask and are partially purified away from contaminating microorganisms by taking advantages of the fact that Vorticella attach to the flask more quickly than do the bacteria or flagellates. The attached cells are then shaken gently for at least 24 hr to produce over 1,100 cells/ml of unattached, stalked Vorticella. Following filtration, these further enriched vorticellan cultures are suitable for biochemical analysis.