Treasures of Italian Microbial Culture Collections: An Overview of Preserved Biological Resources, Offered Services and Know-How, and Management

Marino Moretti, Jacopo Tartaglia, Gian Paolo Accotto, Maria Serena Beato, Valentina Bernini, Annamaria Bevivino, Maria Beatrice Boniotti, Marilena Budroni, Pietro Buzzini, Stefania Carrara, Federica Cerino, Clementina Elvezia Cocuzza, Roberta Comunian, Sofia Cosentino, Antonio d‘Acierno, Paola De Dea, Laura Garzoli, Maria Gullo, Silvia Lampis, Antonio Moretti, Alda Natale, Giancarlo Perrone, Anna Maria Persiani, Iolanda Perugini, Monica Pitti, Annarita Poli, Antonino Pollio, Anna Reale, Annamaria Ricciardi, Cristiana Sbrana, Laura Selbmann, Luca Settanni, Solveig Tosi, Benedetta Turchetti, Paola Visconti, Mirca Zotti and Giovanna Cristina Varese ()
Additional contact information
Marino Moretti: Department of Life Sciences and System Biology, University of Turin, 10125 Turin, Italy
Jacopo Tartaglia: Department of Life Sciences and System Biology, University of Turin, 10125 Turin, Italy
Gian Paolo Accotto: Institute for Sustainable Plant Protection, National Research Council (IPSP-CNR), 10135 Turin, Italy
Maria Serena Beato: Experimental Zooprophylactic Institute of Umbria and Marche “Togo Rosati” (IZSUM), 06126 Perugia, Italy
Valentina Bernini: Department of Food and Drug, University of Parma, 43126 Parma, Italy
Annamaria Bevivino: Department for Sustainability, Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development (ENEA), 00196 Rome, Italy
Maria Beatrice Boniotti: Experimental Zooprophylactic Institute of Lombardy and Emilia Romagna “Bruno Ubertini” (IZSLERBU), 25124 Brescia, Italy
Marilena Budroni: Department of Agricultural Science, University of Sassari, 07100 Sassari, Italy
Pietro Buzzini: Department of Agricultural, Food and Environmental Sciences, Industrial Yeasts Collection DBVPG, University of Perugia, 06121 Perugia, Italy
Stefania Carrara: INMI Biological Bank, Hospital National Institute of Infectious Diseases “Lazzaro Spallanzani” IRCCS, 00149 Rome, Italy
Federica Cerino: National Institute of Oceanography and Applied Geophysics—OGS, 34010 Trieste, Italy
Clementina Elvezia Cocuzza: Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milano-Bicocca, 20900 Monza, Italy
Roberta Comunian: Agris Sardegna Agricultural Research Agency of Sardinia, 07100 Sassari, Italy
Sofia Cosentino: Department of Medical Sciences and Public Health, University of Cagliari, 09042 Cagliari, Italy
Antonio d‘Acierno: Institute of Food Sciences, National Research Council (ISA-CNR), 83100 Avellino, Italy
Paola De Dea: Institute for Agri-Food Quality and Technology, Veneto Region’s Agency for Innovation in the Primary Sector, 36016 Thiene, Italy
Laura Garzoli: Water Research Institute, National Research Council (IRSA-CNR), 28831 Verbania, Italy
Maria Gullo: Department of Life Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, 42121 Reggio Emilia, Italy
Silvia Lampis: Department of Biotechnology, University of Verona, 37134 Verona, Italy
Antonio Moretti: Institute of Sciences of Food Production, National Research Council (ISPA-CNR), 70126 Bari, Italy
Alda Natale: Experimental Zooprophylactic Institute of Venezie (IZSVe), 35020 Padova, Italy
Giancarlo Perrone: Institute of Sciences of Food Production, National Research Council (ISPA-CNR), 70126 Bari, Italy
Anna Maria Persiani: Department of Environmental Biology, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy
Iolanda Perugini: Department of Life Sciences and System Biology, University of Turin, 10125 Turin, Italy
Monica Pitti: Experimental Zooprophylactic Institute of Piedmont, Liguria and Valle d‘Aosta, 10154 Turin, Italy
Annarita Poli: Institute of Biomolecular Chemistry, National Research Council (ICB-CNR), 80078 Pozzuoli, Italy
Antonino Pollio: Department of Biology, University of Naples “Federico II”, 80126 Naples, Italy
Anna Reale: Institute of Food Sciences, National Research Council (ISA-CNR), 83100 Avellino, Italy
Annamaria Ricciardi: School of Agricultural, Forestry and Food Sciences, University of Basilicata, 85100 Potenza, Italy
Cristiana Sbrana: Institute of Agricultural Biology and Biotechnology, National Research Council (IBBA-CNR), 56124 Pisa, Italy
Laura Selbmann: Department of Ecological and Biological Sciences, Tuscia University, 01100 Viterbo, Italy
Luca Settanni: Department of Agricultural, Food and Forest Sciences (SAAF), University of Palermo, 90128 Palermo, Italy
Solveig Tosi: Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy
Benedetta Turchetti: Department of Agricultural, Food and Environmental Sciences, Industrial Yeasts Collection DBVPG, University of Perugia, 06121 Perugia, Italy
Paola Visconti: Biological Resources Centre, IRCCS San Martino General Hospital, 16132 Genova, Italy
Mirca Zotti: Department of Earth, Environmental and Life Sciences (DISTAV), University of Genova, 16132 Genova, Italy
Giovanna Cristina Varese: Department of Life Sciences and System Biology, University of Turin, 10125 Turin, Italy

Sustainability, 2024, vol. 16, issue 9, 1-25

Abstract: Microorganisms, microbiomes, and their products (e.g., enzymes, metabolites, antibiotics, etc.) are key players in the functioning of both natural and anthropized Earth ecosystems; they can be exploited for both research purposes and biotechnological applications, including fighting the big challenges of our era, such as climate change. Culture collections (CCs) and microbial Biological Resource Centres (mBRCs) are repositories of microorganisms that investigate and safeguard biodiversity and facilitate the scientific and industrial communities’ access to microbial strains and related know-how by providing external users with skills and services. Considering this, CCs and mBRCs are pivotal institutions for the valorisation of microorganisms, the safeguarding of life, and the fostering of excellent bioscience. The aim of this review is to present the state-of-the-art of Italian CCs and mBRCs, highlighting strengths, weaknesses, threats, and opportunities. Italy is, indeed, a hotspot of microbial biodiversity with a high rate of endemism and incredible potential, not only for the food and beverage sector (i.e., “Made in Italy” products), where microorganisms can have a beneficial or a spoiling function, but also to guarantee environmental sustainability and foster the bioeconomy through the design of new bioprocesses and products. However, weaknesses, such as the lack of management rules in accordance with international quality standards, are also analysed and ways of overcoming them are discussed. In this context, an overview is given of the Joint Research Unit MIRRI-IT and the European-funded SUS-MIRRI.IT project, which aims to improve the management and sustainability of Italian microbial collections, and serves as a starting point for an innovative revolution in the context of CCs and mBRCs worldwide.

Keywords: microbial biobanks; biological resources; microbial community; microbial database; biodiversity; bioeconomy; microorganisms (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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