Optimization of culture conditions and medium composition for the marine algicidal bacterium Alteromonas sp. DH46 by uniform design

Abstract

Harmful algal blooms (HABs) have led to extensive ecological and environmental issues and huge economic losses. Various HAB control techniques have been developed, and biological methods have been paid more attention. Algicidal bacteria is a general designation for bacteria which inhibit algal growth in a direct or indirect manner, and kill or damage the algal cells. A metabolite which is strongly toxic to the dinoflagellate Alexandrium tamarense was produced by strain DH46 of the alga-lysing bacterium Alteromonas sp. The culture conditions were optimized using a single-factor test method. Factors including carbon source, nitrogen source, temperature, initial pH value, rotational speed and salinity were studied. The results showed that the cultivation of the bacteria at 28°C and 180 r min−1 with initial pH 7 and 30 salt contcentration favored both the cell growth and the lysing effect of strain DH46. The optimal medium composition for strain DH46 was determined by means of uniform design experimentation, and the most important components influencing the cell density were tryptone, yeast extract, soluble starch, NaNO3 and MgSO4. When the following culture medium was used (tryptone 14.0g, yeast extract 1.63g, soluble starch 5.0 g, NaNO3 1.6 g, MgSO4 2.3 g in 1L), the largest bacterial dry weight (7.36 g L−1) was obtained, which was an enhancement of 107% compared to the initial medium; and the algal lysis rate was as high as 98.4% which increased nearly 10% after optimization.