The Agricultural Research Service Culture Collection (NRRL):

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The Agricultural Research Service Culture
Collection (NRRL) Germplasm Accessions and
Research Programs
Cletus P. Kurtzman
ARS Culture Collection (NRRL) Natl Center for
Agricultural Utilization Research USDA / ARS,
Peoria, Illinois USA
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ARS Culture Collection(NRRL)
Established1940 MissionCollect, maintain and
utilize microbial germplasm for agricultural and
agro-industrial applications Websitehttp//nrrl.
ncaur.usda.gov
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ARS Culture CollectionAccessions
General Collections Actinobacteria 9,000 Bacteri
a 10,300 Filamentous fungi 53,000 Yeasts
15,000 Patent Collection 6,000 Annual strain
distributions 4,000
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ARS Culture CollectionSource of Cultures
Thom Collection Aspergillus, Penicillium Harvard
Collection of Mucorales N. R. Smith
Collection Bacillus Mix Collection Taphrina Dulmad
ge Collection Bacillus thuringiensis, B.
sphaericus J. W. Fell Collection Marine yeasts U.
S. Army Quartermaster Collection Biodegradation
fungi Various NCAUR research programs Other
scientists
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ARS Culture CollectionDistribution Policies
General Collection12 strains per request / 24
strains per yearRequired permits must be
providedNo charge per ARS policy Patent
CollectionBudapest Treaty Rules
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ARS Culture CollectionPreservation
Lyophilization Ampoules Liquid nitrogen storage
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ARS Culture CollectionStaff
Curators/Scientists(Curatorial duties, ca.
20) Clete Kurtzman YeastsDave
Labeda ActinobacteriaKerry ODonnell Fusarium,
Mucorales, etc.Steve Peterson Aspergillus,
Penicillium, etc.Alex Rooney BacteriaTodd
Ward ListeriaJim Swezey Patent
Collection Technical Staff 7(Collection
duties, 10-50)
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ARS Culture CollectionScientific Contributions
Production strains forPenicillinXanthan
gumDextran blood extenderRiboflavinBetacaroten
e First yeast to ferment pentoses(biomass) Diagno
stic gene sequencesbacteria, molds, yeasts
food safety, microbial forensics
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Challenges for Culture Collections
Cost recovery for strain distributions Cost for
long-term maintenance Funding for qualified
staff Funding/Staff to characterize poorly
identified germplasm and for strain
verification Back-up sites for cultures and
strain data
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Germplasm at Risk
Abandoned CollectionsWho will decide their
value?Who will take them? Research Materials
Published strainsKey strains should be deposited
in culture collections and distributed without
restrictionsWill journals enforce this
concept? Research Materials Unpublished strains
access?
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Intellectual Property
Patent CulturesBudapest TreatyNational Patent
Offices Non-Patent CulturesPublished cultures
MTAs?Non-published cultures MTAs?Rio Treaty
Cultures
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Questions???
No single collection can maintain all
microorganisms can a network of interactive
collections be developed? How can long-term
funding be developed to ensure the survival and
use of established collections?