1. Allow the cells to encyst.xa0 To detach cysts from the plate flush the surface with 5 ml fresh ATCC medium 1323 (Pages Balanced Salt Solution).xa0 Rub the surface of the plate with a spread bar to detach adhering cysts.
2. Transfer the liquid medium to a sterile centrifuge tube.
3. If the cyst concentration does not exceed 2 x 10⁶ cysts/ml adjust the suspension to that concentration.xa0 To adjust the concentration, centrifuge at 600 x g for 5 min and resuspend the pellet in the volume of fresh medium required to yield 2 x 10⁶.
4. While cells are centrifuging prepare a 15% (v/v) solution of sterile DMSO as follows:xa0 Add the required volume of DMSO to a glass screw-capped test tube and place it in an ice bath.xa0 Allow the DMSO to solidify.xa0 Add the required volume of refrigerated medium.xa0 Dissolve the DMSO by inverting the tube several times. *NOTE: If the DMSO solution is not prepared on ice, an exothermic reaction will occur that may precipitate certain components of the medium.
5. Mix the cell preparation and the DMSO in equal portions. Thus, the final concentration will be at least 10⁶ cysts/ml and 7.5% (v/v) DMSO.xa0 The equilibration time (the time between addition of DMSO and the start of the cooling cycle) should be no less than 15 min and no longer than 30 min.
6. Dispense in 0.5 ml aliquots into 1.0 - 2.0 ml sterile plastic screw-capped cryules (special plastic vials for cryopreservation).
7. Place the vials in a controlled rate freezing unit.xa0 From room temperature cool at -1°C/min to -40°C.xa0 If the freezing unit can compensate for the heat of fusion, maintain rate atxa0xa0xa0xa0xa0xa0xa0 -1°C/min through the heat of fusion.xa0 At -40°C plunge into liquid nitrogen. Alternatively, place the vials in a Nalgene 1°C freezing apparatus.xa0 Place the apparatus at -80°C for 1.5 to 2 hours and then plunge ampules into liquid nitrogen.xa0 (The cooling rate in this apparatus is approximately -1°C/min.)xa0xa0
8. The frozen preparations are stored in either the vapor or liquid phase of a nitrogen freezer.
9. To establish a culture from the frozen state place an ampule in a water bath set at 35°C (2-3 min). Immerse the vial to a level just above the surface of the frozen material. Do not agitate the vial.
10. Immediately after thawing, aseptically remove the contents of the ampule and distribute to the center of a fresh plate of ATCC medium 711.xa0 Distribute the material evenly over the plate using a spread bar.xa0 Incubate at 25°C.

Sawyer TK, et al. Acanthamoeba stevensoni n. sp. (protozoa: amoebida) from sewage-contaminated shellfish beds in Raritan Bay, New York. J. Eukaryot. Microbiol. 40: 742-746, 1993.

Stothard DR, et al. The evolutionary history of the genus Acanthamoeba and the identification of eight new 18S rRNA gene sequence types. J. Eukaryot. Microbiol. 45: 45-54, 1998. PubMed: 9495032

Kong HH, et al. Mitochondrial DNA restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) and 18S small-subunit ribosomal DNA PCR-RFLP analyses of Acanthamoeba isolated from contact lens storage cases of residents in southwestern Korea. J. Clin. Microbiol. 40: 1199-1206, 2002. PubMed: 11923331

type strain

Nucleotide (GenBank) : AF019069 Acanthamoeba stevensoni RB:F:1 18S ribosomal RNA gene, partial sequence.