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ARS Home » Midwest Area » Peoria, Illinois » National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research » Mycotoxin Prevention and Applied Microbiology Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #364011
Research Project: Management and Characterization of Agriculturally and Biotechnologically Important Microbial Genetic Resources and Associated Information

Location: Mycotoxin Prevention and Applied Microbiology Research

Title: Preserving US microbe collections sparks future discoveries

Author
item BOUNDY-MILLS, KYRIA - University Of California, Davis
item MCCLUSKEY, KEVIN - Kansas State University
item GLAESER, JESSIE - Us Forest Service (FS)
item LINDNER, DANIEL - Us Forest Service (FS)
item NOBLES, JR., DAVID - University Of Texas
item OCHOA-CORONA, FRANCISCO - Oklahoma State University
item SCOTT, JAMES - University Of Toronto
item Ward, Todd
item Webb, Kimberly
item WERTZ, JOHN - Yale University
item NORMANLY, JENNIFER - University Of Massachusetts, Amherst
item WEBSTER, KATIE - University Of Massachusetts

Submitted to: Journal of Applied Microbiology
Publication Type: Review Article
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/20/2019
Publication Date: 1/10/2020
Citation: Boundy-Mills, K., McCluskey, K., Elia, P., Glaeser, J.A., Lindner, D.L., Nobles, Jr., D.R., Normanly, J., Ochoa-Corona, F.M., Scott, J.A., Ward, T.J., Webb, K.M., Webster, K., Wertz, J.E. 2020. Preserving US microbe collections sparks future discoveries. Journal of Applied Microbiology. 129(2):162-174. https://doi.org/10.1111/jam.14525.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/jam.14525

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Collections of micro-organisms are a crucial element of life science research infrastructure but are vulnerable to loss and damage caused by natural or man-made disasters, the untimely death or retirement of personnel, or the loss of research funding. Preservation of biological collections has risen in priority due to a new appreciation for discoveries linked to preserved specimens, emerging hurdles to international collecting and decreased funding for new collecting. While many historic collections have been lost, several have been preserved, some with dramatic rescue stories. Rescued microbes have been used for discoveries in areas of health, biotechnology and basic life science. Suggestions for long-term planning for microbial stocks are listed, as well as inducements for long-term preservation.