title: Optimization of cryopreservation conditions for the unicellular red alga Cyanidioschyzon merolae.
abstract: Cryopreservation is essential for maintaining stable stocks of organisms. We report the development of a method for cryopreservation of the unicellular red alga Cyanidioschyzon merolae, a model organism for the investigation of the basic architecture of photosynthetic eukaryotes. Glycerol, dimethyl sulfoxide and methanol were examined for their ability to protect the cell from cryoinjury and/or cytotoxicity. It was found that methanol was the most effective as a cryoprotectant for C. merolae. After the optimized setting of parameters such as working concentration of cryoprotectant and the period of slow cooling, cultures were supplemented with 5% (v/v) methanol and frozen by slow cooling using a passive-freezing unit, followed by plunging into liquid nitrogen. We found C. merolae cells retained greater than 80% viability for at least 83 days in storage.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Molecular and Cellular Biosciences, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0022, Japan.
authors.forename: Mio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ohnuma
authors.forename: Tsuneyoshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kuroiwa
authors.forename: Kan
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tanaka
mesh_terms: D015925:Cryopreservation / Q000379:methods*; D003451:Cryoprotective Agents / Q000378:metabolism; D004121:Dimethyl Sulfoxide / Q000378:metabolism; D005615:Freezing; D005990:Glycerol / Q000378:metabolism; D000432:Methanol / Q000378:metabolism; D000461:Rhodophyta / Q000528:radiation effects*; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D003451:Cryoprotective Agents; D005990:Glycerol; D000432:Methanol; D004121:Dimethyl Sulfoxide