Euglena gracilis can grow in the mixed culture containing Cladosporium westerdijkiae, Lysinibacillus boronitolerans and Pseudobacillus badius without the addition of vitamins B1 and B12

Abstract

Euglena gracilis is a freshwater flagellate possessing secondary chloroplast of green algal origin. This protist has numerous biotechnological applications such as production of biofuels and pharmaceuticals, and it can be also used for bioremediation of polluted water and wastewater. One of the highest limitations for its large-scale cultivation is that it cannot synthesize vitamins B₁ and B₁₂ which are expensive and they have to be added to media. This study revealed that E. gracilis can be grown for long time periods without the addition of vitamins B₁ and B₁₂ in the co-culture containing filamentous fungus Cladosporium westerdijkiae, and bacteria Lysinibacillus boronitolerans and Pseudobacillus badius. Growing of E. gracilis in such co-cultures without the addition of vitamins can dramatically reduce large scale cultivation costs. Moreover, C. westerdijkiae could be used in biotechnology for immobilization and effective harvesting of E. gracilis from big cultivation containers by bioflocculation.

Keywords: Cobalamin; Euglenids; Thiamine; Vitamin auxotrophy.