Flow Cytometric Analysis of Coastal Lagoon Bacterioplankton and Picophytoplankton: Fixation and Storage Effects

The effect of different fixation and storage protocols on the flow cytometric (FCM) simultaneous analysis of bacterioplankton and phytoplankton in coastal seawater samples (Mediterranean coastal lagoons) was investigated. FCM measurements (cell number, fluorescence and scatter characteristics) were obtained through DAPI staining. Three fixatives [glutaraldehyde (GA), formaldehyde (FA) and paraformaldehyde (PFA)] and two storage (3 months duration) methods (5 °C and −196 °C) were tested. Two dominant populations were detected in studied samples: bacteria and eukaryotic picophytoplankton. Adding fixatives (2% final concentration) appears necessary to obtain FCM exhaustive counts of all the bacteria and phytoplanktonic cells. This was related to the permeation effect of fixatives which allowed a better DAPI staining of the cells. Maximum fluorescence, i.e. optimal staining of the cells was obtained with FA or PFA, and significant lower fluorescences with GA. Fixed samples stored at 5 °C induced rapid cell loss. Only storage in liquid nitrogen of samples fixed with FA or PFA, allows mid-term (≥4 months) preservation of bacteria or picophytoplankton cell numbers, and limited evolution of DAPI-induced fluorescence and scatter characteristics.