A new procedure for obtaining pure cultures of Spirulina maxima and S. platensis

Axenic cultures of Spirulina maxima and Spirulina platensis have been obtained by a mild ans reliable method, which does not affect the viability and the genetic stability of the strains. The main features of the new procedure are the elimination of UV treatment, the mechanical breakage of the trichomes in short fragments and the centrifugation. The latter step is essential for eliminating most bacteria associated with the cells walls of Spirulina and for separating cell walls debris, which interfere with repeated washings with sterile medium. The procedure is now applied routinely in the purification of fliamentous non-heterocystous cyanobacterial cultures.