Re: [ccp4bb] Off-topic: fungus contamination of SF9 cells

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CCP4bb <-- 1999 <-- November 1999 <-- 30 November 1999

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Subject: off-topic: fungus contamination in SF9 cells (picture attached)
From: Filipp Frank filipp {- dot -} frank {- at -} MAIL {- dot -} MCGILL {- dot -} CA
Date: 2008-04-04

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Date: 2008-04-04

Subject: Re: Off-topic: fungus contamination of SF9 cells
From: Chun Luo chun {- at -} ACCELAGEN {- dot -} COM
Date: 2008-04-04

Hi Filipp,

Start a new culture from your frozen cell bank using disposable
plasticwares. If it still happens and assuming the working environment is
clean and operators follow the SOP, you may have to get a new cell stock
from somewhere else.

We had a contamination once and traced back to its origin. It actually took
a couple of weeks for the contamination to be visible. Whatever they were,
just grew very slowly in the insect cell media. I guess you may not notice
the contamination in smaller flasks when you pass the cells frequently.
Letting the culture grow longer in large flasks accumulates the
contaminants.

Using AA adds cost. Better to make sure operators clean their gloves with
ethanol.

Very interesting picture. It could be a PhD thesis to figure out what it is.

Good luck!

Chun

Chun Luo, Ph.D.
The Protein Expert
Accelagen, Inc.
11585 Sorrento Valley Road, Suite 107
San Diego, CA 92121
TeL: 858-350-8085 ext 111
Fax: 858-350-8001
chun@accelagen.com
www.accelagen.com

-----Original Message-----
From: CCP4 bulletin board [mailto:CCP4BB@JISCMAIL.AC.UK] On Behalf Of Filipp
Frank
Sent: Friday, April 04, 2008 12:49 PM
To: CCP4BB@JISCMAIL.AC.UK
Subject: [ccp4bb] Off-topic: fungus contamination of SF9 cells

Dear all,

sorry for this off topic question. I am using baculovirus/insect cell
expression and I have had persisting problems with contamination that
seems to be some kind of fungus. I have a picture attached showing the
filamentous structure of it. This contamination has persisted for a
few months now and always seems to occur when we go to large 2.8 L
flasks (however, there was also one instant where this was not the
case). We have autoclaved all flasks for 90 minutes each and still we
get contamination.

Does anybody have experience with this kind of contamination? And what
would you suggest for us to do?
We will (again) disinfect our incubator and the hood. Also we are
thinking about using an antimycotic/antifungal drug to get rid of this
problem.

Thanks a lot for any suggestion!

Filipp

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CCP4bb <-- 1999 <-- November 1999 <-- 30 November 1999

Previous message:
Subject: off-topic: fungus contamination in SF9 cells (picture attached)
From: Filipp Frank filipp {- dot -} frank {- at -} MAIL {- dot -} MCGILL {- dot -} CA
Date: 2008-04-04