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Pure Appl. Chem., Vol. 70, No. 11,
pp. 2110, 1998
Microbial diversity and the role
of culture collections*
Department of Agricultural Chemistry, Tokyo University of Agriculture,
Tokyo, Japan
E-mail: [email protected]
Abstract: From a global point of view, tropical rain forests occupy
only 3% of the surface of the earth, but more than 50% of the biological
species inhabit such areas. The development of modern biotechnology
aspires to isolation of new microorganisms and improvement of their
attributes, but microorganisms have been overlooked compared with
plants and animals because of their microscopic life forms. Currently,
more than 69,000 species in 5,100 genera of fungi, and about 3,600
species in about 700 genera of bacteria have been described in the
literature. However, it is surprising to learn how small the number
of microbial taxa appears in references to the application of microorganisms.
Astronomical numbers of microbial strains have been
isolated through the study of microbial diversity, and the attributes
of a large number have been improved for biotechnology. Microorganisms
are not only of value for the production of useful substances; they
also play unique roles in element cycles with plants and animals.
Microbial strains isolated from large numbers of sources in South
East Asia have been deposited with culture collections, and enriched
the culture collections.
Microorganisms are also significant gene pools, and these gene
pools must not be lost. From this point of view, microorganisms
can be regarded as the cultural heritage and the cultural property,
and they must be transferred to the next generation in a normal
and healthy condition. Therefore, reliable culture collections are
needed as the depository and for the further study and application
of the cultures.
Download full text (8
pages) - PDF file (33KB)
* Invited lecture presented at the International
Conference on Bioversity and Bioresources: Conservation
and Utilization, 23-37 November 1997, Phuket, Thailand.
Page last modified 5 March 1999.
Copyright ©1997, 98, 99 International Union of Pure and Applied
Chemistry.
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