2.3.2 Dissection and Isolation
Twenty termites were obtained on 13 March 2006 from within a M. viator termite mound, located in the Tygerberg Nature Reserve, Cape Town, South Africa. Under sterile conditions, in a laminar flow hood, these termites were surface sterilized in 70% ethanol for 2 min before being washed three times in sterile distilled water (dH20). The posterior paunch and colon regions were dissected from the termite abdomen and placed in separate microfuge tubes containing 2ml phosphate buffer (10 mM Na2HPO4.2H2O, 1.8 mM KH2PO4; pH 7.0). The contents were vigorously vortexed for 5 min to disperse the contents of the gut region, before a standard dilution series was set up using sterile phosphate buffer.