Phormidium ambiguum CZS 2205

History of Receipt and Isolation

• Country of origin: Republic of Kazakhstan
• Place of isolation: hot springs of Chundzha, Almaty Region
• Habitat: Thermal aquatic ecosystem.
• Isolator(s): Sandybayeva S.K., Zayadan B.K., Kakimova A.B., Bolatkhan K., Toktybay A.K., Seiilbek S.N. at the Biotechnology Laboratory of Al-Farabi Kazakh National University
• Year of accession to the collection: 2023.
• Method of obtainment: isolated from an enrichment culture obtained from a natural sample by sequential microbiological streaking
• Genetic features: Wild type (WT)
• Strain condition: axenic.

Morphology and Structure

Filamentous cyanobacterium without heterocytes. Trichomes are unbranched, generally straight and elongated, occasionally forming gentle curves or spirals when aggregated; filaments break into short fragments, and their ends are straight, without twisting. Filaments have a smooth surface, are surrounded by a thin, compact mucilaginous sheath and show slow gliding motility. Cells are cylindrical, 1.84 ± 0.2 µm wide and slightly longer than wide, with finely granular, green to cyan-green cytoplasm. Akinetes were not observed; gas vesicles are absent. The culture changes colour from light green in early growth to olive-green or yellowish-olive in later stages. In undisturbed liquid culture, filaments settle rapidly (within about 2.5 h), forming a compact biomass pellet.

Cultivation

• Nutrient medium: liquid Zarrouk and BG-11 media
• Temperature: 36 ± 2 °C
• Light intensity: 60 µmol photons·m⁻²·s⁻¹
• Photoperiod: 12:12 h (light/dark)
• pH: 7.0–7.5

Physiological Characteristics

Photoautotroph; aerobic phototroph under routine culture conditions

Long-term Preservation Conditions

Maintained in liquid Zarrouk or BG-11 medium with transfer every 2–3 months. Dried biomass is stored at 4 °C in darkness under dry conditions.

Deposition Information

Certificate of deposit No. 09/12-448 dated October 19, 2023 in the Republican Collection of Microorganisms under the Committee of Science of the Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Kazakhstan. Registration Number: RKM 1060

Genetic Information

Molecular identification was based on 16S rRNA gene sequencing using primers 27F/1492R. GenBank accession: OQ646791.

Field of Application

Fundamental studies of cyanobacterial physiology and pigment metabolism; screening of biomass and extracts as potential sources of pigments, proteins, fatty acids and other metabolites.

Bibliography

1. Sandybayeva, S.K.; Ismailova, S.A.; Yershova, A.O.; Kakimova, A.B.; Zayadan, B.K. Cyanobacterial Biofactories Beyond Model Strains: Exploratory Screening of Immunomodulatory Activity in Phormidium ambiguum Extracts. Plants 2026, 15, 33. https://doi.org/10.3390/plants15010033
2. Sandybayeva, S.K.; Kossalbayev, B.D.; Zayadan, B.K.; Kopecký, J.; Kakimova, A.B.; Bolatkhan, K.; Allakhverdiev, S.I. Isolation, Identification and Pigment Analysis of Novel Cyanobacterial Strains from Thermal Springs. Plants 2024, 13, 2951. https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13212951

Patents and Other Intellectual Property

None.