Large‐Scale Autotrophic Culture of Euglena gracilis*

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Abstract
SYNOPSIS. Large quantities of autotrophic Euglena gracilis can be obtained in a short time using simple and inexpensive equipment. Cultures grown in flasks on a rotary shaker are transferred to a polyethylene drum containing 180 liters of medium. The drum, which is illuminated with both internal and external fluorescent lamps, contains a coil of vinyl tubing carrying tap water for temperature control and 2 vinyl tubes for air and CO2. Sterilization of the drum or the medium was unnecessary, but can be accomplished by gassing the drum with ethylene oxide or overnight exposure to germicidal lamps and by dispensing the medium into the drum through a large Millipore apparatus. Yields of 289–330 g of fresh weight material have been obtained after one week's growth. Shorter growth periods yielded 134–160 g of fresh weight material. Ten g of purified chloroplasts have been obtained from 160 g of cells grown in this manner.