Traditional and Modern Protective Media for the Low-Temperature Bacteria Preservation

Abstract

Presented are the literature data on the efficiency of bacteria preservation at temperatures ranging from -20 to -196 °C in the protective media containing such cryoprotectors as glycerol, dimethyl sulfoxide, carbo-hydrates, substances of protein origin specified by regulatory guidelines. Most of the focus is on the publications reporting the results of the long-term bacteria preservation at sub-zero temperatures, optimization of the protective media for pathogenic bacteria, and usage of the compounds with potential cryoprotective activity. Noted is the necessity for approbation of the specified protective media for the conserved bacteria species at the applied preserving temperatures. One of the approaches to the enhancement of the low-temperature preservation techniques is a search for natural protectors, which can provide for surviving of bacteria in the unfavorable conditions, including low temperatures, and a search for possibility to integrate these natural protectors into the cryoprotective media. Displayed are the results of effective application of glycerol-betaine, and polysaccharides of Arctic microorganisms for the low-temperature bacteria preservation.

Keywords

• low-temperature preservation
• bacteria
• cryoprotectors
• protective media