The Microbial Resources Unit collects and accepts microorganism genetic resources, classifies and identifies them, preserves and proliferates them, evaluates their characteristics, and prepares them for distribution. The main collection targets are agriculture-related microorganisms such as plant pathogens that affect crops. In addition, necessary related research is being conducted, including the development of classification and detection methods for these microorganisms and the improvement of preservation procedures.
Filamentous fungi, bacteria, yeasts, and plant viruses account for approximately 95% of the microorganisms preserved in the GeneBank. The distributed microorganisms are mainly used for classification and identification, material production, agrochemical development and biological control, disease diagnosis, pathogen detection and testing, and development of new varieties with disease resistance. On the other hand, the classification method of microorganisms has changed greatly in recent years due to the rapid development of research methods. For preserved microorganism strains, DNA base sequence data useful for species identification are analyzed and added, and classification verification is carried out to confirm and renew the labeled names. For some microorganisms, a recommended strain set for distribution is created and published. We are also accumulating and upgrading characteristic information and actively disclosing it. By safely and stably preserving and distributing microbial genetic resources over a long period of time, we aim to improve user convenience and utilize preserved microbial genetic resources.
