Bioluminescent Marine Bacteria

Many species of marine creatures glow-in-the-dark and can be found living at all depths of the worlds oceans. Bioluminescent bacteria have been found on seafood such as squid and even in cans of tuna. Bioluminescent bacteria glow due to a chemical reaction within the tissues. A special enzyme and protein inside the cells when exposed to oxygen at a temperature of about 75 degrees Fahrenheit (25 degrees Celsius) produce a blue-green light. Bioluminescent bacteria can exist as free-living, symbiotic, parasitic, or saprophytic organisms. It’s difficult to see free-living bioluminescent bacteria in the oceans because of their low concentration, usually about 10^2 per ml. In a Petri dish, the bacteria can be grown in dense concentrations and therefore can easily be seen.

GROWING BIOLUMINESCENT BACTERIA

Bioluminescent bacteria are easy to grow. The bacteria you receive are Vibrio fisheri and are non-pathogenic. They don’t require a sterile environment and they grow extremely fast if given a nutrient rich media. The agar media provided in the kit is a specially formulated Glo-Brite saltwater agar developed and sold only by Xoscientific. This agar provides all of the nutrients required by the bioluminescent bacteria to maximize luminosity. Easy to follow instructions are included with each kit.