Culture Collection of Algae and Protozoa (CCAP)

In phylogenetic terms, CCAP is the most diverse culture collection in the world, with 3000 strains of marine and freshwater algae, protists and seaweeds from across the globe including a growing collection of seaweed pathogens.

Some of these cultures have been in cultivation for over a century while others have been added in the past few months - we frequently isolate new strains to add to the collection.

The collection is made up of a wide range of taxa including cyanobacteria, eukaryotic phytoplankton, thalloid red algae, multicellular seaweeds, free-living non-pathogenic protozoa, and a small number of potentially pathogenic protozoa.

Strains are primarily maintained by serial sub-culture although about 30% of the algal strains and 2% of the protozoan strains are cryopreserved to maximise genetic stability.

CCAP also offers a wide range of services in addition to maintaining the collection and supplying cultures and media. We

• can accept standard deposits of cultures of algae and free-living, non-pathogenic protozoa
• curate deposits of valuable strains for confidential safekeeping for the depositor
• as an International Depository Authority (IDA) CCAP also accepts strains of (a) freshwater and terrestrial algae and cyanobacteria; (b) non-pathogenic free living protozoa; and (c) marine algae and cyanobacteria other than large seaweeds for the purposes of patent procedure
• provide microscopic and/or molecular identification
• prepare DNA extracts

CCAP is among the world`s best equipped culture collections. Seven staff service the collection.

Culturing facilities
The CCAP culturing facilities include four constant temperature rooms and several individual incubators, providing illuminated culturing for the range of 2-20oC. There are also three laminar flow cabinets for aseptic culturing and one class II cabinet for pathogenic strains.

Microscopes
Zeiss Axio Imager with high quality DIC and phase objectives and digital camera

Inverted Axiovert

• Inverted Zeiss
• Other stereo and upright microscopes
• Zeiss digital microscope camera

Cryopreservation

• Planer controlled rate freezer Kryo 360
• Cryo storage area

Media preparation

• Large front loading autoclave
• Elga pure water supply
• Miele laboratory dishwasher
• Balances
• pH meter
• Microwave

Molecular equipment

• Thermocycler (PCR) machine
• Mechanical bead grinder (cell disrupter)
• Electrophoresis gel trays
• Centrifuges
• Water bath
• Block heater

As a component of the UK`s scientific infrastructure CCAP provides cultures, bioinformatic data, services and advice to the scientific community world-wide. Funding to use CCAP as a base for external research becomes frequently available through transnational programmes such as EMBRIC.

The facility can support research in the following areas:

• algal biofuel
• biotechnology
• biodiversity
• food safety (eg toxic algae)
• ecotoxicology
• mariculture
• biomarkers (eg for palaeo-environmental changes)
• collection genomics and barcoding
• cryopreservation of protists and cyanobacteria
• the physiology and taxonomy of various strains in the collection
• algal pathogens
• algal and protistan symbionts

At SAMS CCAP is closely associated in Dr Claire Gachon`s algal diseases research, Dr Michele Stanley`s biotech studies, Dr David Green`s research into symbiosis, Professor Mike Zubkov`s work on the microbial food chain and Dr Tom Brown`s work on Arctic algae and biomarkers.