Cyanobacteria culture sterilization - (Nov/09/2009 )

Hi,

I'm growing cyanobacteria culture of Synechocystis sp. and investigate flow cytometry. It is important to keep it sterile from other bacteria.
My question is what kind of methods can I use to achieve it and not to disturb grow of Synechocystis?
Is it possible to use antibiotics of some kind that Cyanobacteria are tolerant to?

Thank you very much in advance for your effort.

Keeping a cyano culture axenic is always a challenge, so good luck.

I don't know of any compounds to which all/most eubacteria are sensitive but cyanos are not.

For the most part people just try to ensure that everything they culture with is sterile and learn to become neurotic about opening the culture to reduce the chances of contamination. You should also do microscopic analysis and or plate counts regularly to make sure that it stays axenic, because bacterial REALLY like to move in with cyanos.

Shannon