The Culture of Paramecium Aurelia in the Absence of Other Living Organisms

Abstract

Two methods were used to free P. aurelia from other living organisms: (a) electrical transport of the ciliates against a continuous flow of sterile agar soln., and (b) exposure to penicillin solns. Sterility was tested by incubating in various media anaerobically and aerobically at various temps. P. aurelia is capable of growing on a heat-stable medium of yeast extract, lettuce infusion and autoclaved bacterium Aerobacter aerogenes. The sterile medium permits a maximal growth of only 1.7 fissions per day. All 3 components of the medium contribute essential factors for the nutrition of P. aurelia and that organism will not grow if these are filtered through a bacterial filter.