Growth of the haploid and diploid phases of Physarum flavicomum in the same partially defined media

Abstract

The haploid phase (myxamoebae-swarm cells) of the myxomycete Physarum flavicomum variety 1 grows readily in partially defined liquid media, which were developed for the culture of the diploid plasmodial phase. Cell yields of between 2 × 107 and 4 × 107 cells/ml are obtained in these media in aerobic shake culture. Growth rates are more rapid in shake culture than in stationary culture but growth does not occur in anaerobic conditions. The simpler of the two media contains salts, glucose, biotin, thiamine, hematin, and casein hydrolysate. Haploid cells consume about half as much oxygen per milligram protein per hour as the diploid microplasmodia growing in the same medium.