Glucose and lactose as cryoprotectants for fungal strains immobilised in sodium alginate: an emphasis on the conservation of the zygomycetes Rhizopus and Mucor.

This research aimed at investigating the cryoprotectant action of glucose and lactose on strains of Malassezia spp. and zygomycetes immobilised in sodium alginate. Twelve strains of Malassezia spp. (nine M. furfur, two M. globosa and one M. sympodialis) and 12 zygomycetes (five Rhizopus oryzae and seven Mucor hiemales) were immobilised in sodium alginate, within plastic beads, maintained in appropriate media containing glucose and lactose at concentrations of 9% and 23% and preserved at temperatures of -20 and -80 °C. Strain viability was evaluated from 15 to 270 days of storage, through the observation of macro-micromorphologic characteristics. The Malassezia spp. strains were only viable until 90 days of storage, whereas for zygomycetes, viable strains were observed until after 270 days of storage at -80 °C, in the media containing 23% glucose or lactose. The use of 23% glucose or lactose at -80 °C in a sodium alginate cell immobilisation system is efficient for cryopreserving zygomycetes. This research creates perspectives for the use of glucose and lactose in sodium alginate cell immobilisation systems for the preservation of fungi with low viability.