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A vitamin-free minimal synthetic medium forCryptococcus neoformans

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Abstract

The use of a simple synthetic medium is essential for study on the growth and physiology ofCryptococcus neoformans. In the present study, a minimal synthetic liquid medium (MSM) was tested for the growth of 23C. neoformans strains. This medium contained a low concentration of glucose, ammonium sulphate and inorganic salts with a pH value of 4.5, but no amino acids or vitamins. The strains were starved for 4 days to eliminate nutrients which might have been carried over from their pre-culture medium. Then, they were inoculated in the MSM at an initial OD of 0.020 at 550 nm and incubated at 37 °C for 20 days. Cell growth was generally monitored daily by measuring the absorbance at 550 nm. The medium supported the growth of the strains tested and gave an average final OD of 0.500. The results obtained indicate thatC. neoformans may be autotrophic with respect to vitamins and in particular to thiamine. The MSM medium is easy to prepare and store. It is highly reproducible and useful for studies on the growth and physiology ofC. neoformans.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Istituto Malattie Infettive, Università di Torino, Laboratorio Micologia Medica, Corso Svizzera 164, 10.149, Torino, Italy

    V. Vidotto & G. Campanini

  2. General Research Institute, Nippon Dental University, 1-8 Hamaura-cho, 951, Niigata, Japan

    S. Aoki

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  1. V. Vidotto
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  2. S. Aoki
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  3. G. Campanini
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Vidotto, V., Aoki, S. & Campanini, G. A vitamin-free minimal synthetic medium forCryptococcus neoformans . Mycopathologia 133, 139–142 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02373020

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