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Safeguarding bacterial resources promotes biotechnological innovation

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Abstract

Environmental research delivers valuable bacterial resources for biotechnology. We believe that systematic long-term preservation of bacteria will promote future biotechnological innovations, by safeguarding the accessibility of bacteria already recognized to have interesting features and providing a “pool” of bacterial resources for novel applied research. To this end, we want to advocate the incorporation of preservation tests in environmental or applied microbiological research. This paper introduces non-specialists to different preservation methods for bacteria. Several parameters that influence long-term storage of bacterial resources are explained and practical tips and guidelines are formulated. Also, the vital role of public culture collections is highlighted and the state-of-the-art of preservation of non-pure cultures is described.

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Acknowledgements

This work was funded by the Geconcerteerde Onderzoeksactie (GOA) of Ghent University (BOF09/GOA/005). The authors are grateful to Dr. Eva Spieck and Dr. Andreas Pömmerening-Roeser (Hamburg University, Germany) for providing nitrite- and ammonia-oxidizing strains which were used in unpublished preservation research.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory of Microbiology, Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Ghent University, K.L. Ledeganckstraat 35, 9000, Ghent, Belgium

    Kim Heylen, Sven Hoefman, Bram Vekeman & Paul De Vos

  2. BCCM/LMG Bacteria Collection, K.L. Ledeganckstraat 35, 9000, Ghent, Belgium

    Jindrich Peiren & Paul De Vos

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  1. Kim Heylen
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  2. Sven Hoefman
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  3. Bram Vekeman
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  4. Jindrich Peiren
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  5. Paul De Vos
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Correspondence to Kim Heylen.

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Heylen, K., Hoefman, S., Vekeman, B. et al. Safeguarding bacterial resources promotes biotechnological innovation. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 94, 565–574 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00253-011-3797-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00253-011-3797-y

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