A synthetic culture medium for the freshwater diatomDidymosphenia geminata

The freshwater diatom Didymosphenia geminata has emerged in recent years as a nuisance organism with invasive tendencies in some areas. Knowledge of the biological and ecological intricacies of D. geminata is limited, in part due to the absence of a suitable culture medium for the maintenance of the diatom. This paper describes the development of a chemically defined synthetic medium for the short-term culture of D. geminata cells. A range of combinations and concentrations of macronutrients were tested and D. geminata survival and attachment monitored. This development provides the potential to explore unexplained aspects of D. geminata biology and physiology through robust culture-based laboratory studies.