title: Deployment of the encapsulation-dehydration protocol to cryopreserve microalgae held at the Sammlung von Algenkulturen, Universitat Gottingen, Germany.
abstract: Encapsulation-dehydration was applied to cryopreserve 14 diverse algal strains, representing eukaryotic terrestrial microalgae; of these 12 survived to form cell colonies after recovery from cryostorage. Surviving algae had varying degrees of tolerance to osmotic dehydration and desiccation in this vitrification-based cryoprotective strategy. The extent of algal regrowth was affected by the mode of desiccation (silica gel or air-flow), the duration of evaporative desiccation and exposure to light during early recovery phase. This paper: (i) demonstrates the versatility of the encapsulation/dehydration method to cryopreserve diverse microalgae; (ii) confirms the successful transfer of this cryostorage technology to the Culture Collection of Algae at Gottingen University (SAG); and (iii) recommends encapsulation/dehydration as a feasible alternative to controlled rate cooling for preserving algae held in international culture collections.
authors.affiliation: Plant Conservation Group, University of Abertay Dundee, Bell Street, Dundee, UK. k.harding-damar@tiscali.co.uk
authors.forename: Keith
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Harding
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Muller
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lorenz
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Timmerman
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Friedl
authors.forename: J G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Day
authors.forename: E E
authors.initials: EE
authors.lastname: Benson
mesh_terms: D018070:Biological Specimen Banks; D015925:Cryopreservation / Q000379:methods*; D056890:Eukaryota