Science Buddies: "Ask an Expert"

Bioluminescence: Investigating Glow-in-the-Dark Dinoflagellates project:

Would I be able to use Pyrocystis noctiluca, although the instructions only state P. lunula or P. fusiformis?


Thank you for your help.

Regards,
Tara R-Smith

P. noctiluca should work just as well. That's the one I have heard about more frequently than the others. Where will you get the culture of dinoflagellates from? Carolina Biologicals? You can always call their tech support and ask them a question about different species of dinos. Check the scientific literature and see if there is any mention of problems growing and experimenting with P. noctiluca.

Good luck!

Sybee

Hi there,

P. noctiluca should probably work as well. You just have to note that because they're a different species than P. lunula or P. fusiformis, it is possible that they may behave differently when it comes to bioluminescence (for example, one species may glow brighter than another, another species may glow in response to different stimuli, etc.) or they may have to be cultured or handled differently, and you have to take these factors into account as you set up your experiment and interpret your results after you get the data. As SciB suggested, I think it's a great idea to call the tech support of Carolina Biologicals to ask them about these different species and how similarly they behave.

Hope that helps. Let us know if you have anymore questions!

Connie