Bacteriolytic activity and growth of marine isolates of labyrinthulids on dead bacterial cells

Abstract

Thirteen strains of labyrinthulids were isolated from the coastal area of Kagoshima Bay, Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan and from Batan Bay, Panay Island, the Phillippines by using diatom double-layer agar plates. The cells of labyrinthulid isolates grew axenically on the dead bacterial cells and extract plus egg yolk agar medium (NSBEY agar). Three representative isolates were demonstrated to belong to the labyrinthulid phylogenetic group (LPG) based on 18S rDNA sequence analysis. As bacteriolytic activity of labyrinthulid isolates was examined, it was found that they could lyze only the dead cells of gram-negative bacteria and not those of gram-positive bacteria during incubation in both agar and liquid media. The optimum temperature range for bacteriolysis was 25–31°C. Orange carotenoid pigment was accumulated during the stationary growth phase of strain 00-Bat-05, Philippine isolate, cultured in an L-shaped tube containing a bacterial dead cell suspension. Concomitant rapid cell movement of developing zoospores was observed.