Microalgae and Protists | CEBES | NIES

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Since 1983, culture strains of microalgae and protists have been maintained in the Microbial Culture Collection (NIES-Collection) for the purpose of research and monitoring on biodiversity and ecosystem conservation. At present (2011), about 2,600 culture strains are maintained.
Among these strains, 2000 are available for educational and research uses. The Collection also accepts the deposition of strains which are important for both basic and applied researches in environmental science.

(KAWACHI Masanobu, Biodiversity Resource Conservation Section)

Two thirds of algal strains held in the NIES-Collection are maintained by subculture under appropriate conditions. They are transferred to new media regularly.

Cryopreservation is applicable to certain groups of algae, therefore, about 1/3 of strains including cyanobacteria and coccoid green algae are frozen in liquid nitrogen.

Culture strains of stoneworts regenerated from oospores buried in bottom sediment of Lake Kasumigaura.

Various Japanese endangered algae are also preserved as culture strains at the Microbial Culture Collection facility. They include 14 species, 270 strains of freshwater red algae and 28 species, 100 strains of charophytes (stoneworts).

(KAWACHI Masanobu, Biodiversity Resource Conservation Section)

A freshwater red alga, Nemalionopsis tortuosa , growing on a stone in a stream.

A stonewort, Nitella pseudoflabellata, growing in the shore of an irrigation pond, making fluffy clumps under water.

At the Environmental Specimen Time Capsule Building, genetic materials of the endangered species such as somatic cells, reproductive cells and tissues are cryopreserved in liquid nitrogen tanks for ex-situ conservation. The materials are important to preserve genetic diversity of endangered species. In addition, these can be used to research on the factors of species extinction, infectious disease and reproduction. Samples of 18 mammal species (106 individuals), 40 avian species (1064 individuals), one reptile, and 33 fish species (517 individuals) were preserved during 2002-2010.

(ONUMA Manabu, Ecological Genetics Research Section)

Above are the examples of the species that are cryopreserved. The two letters indicate the status of the extinction risks in the IUCN Red List; EW: Extinct in the Wild, CR: Critically Endangered, EN: Endangered.

Photo credits of the Blakiston’s fish owl and Tsushima leopard cat belong to the Institute for Raptor Biomedicine Japan and Tsushima Wildlife Conservation Center, respectively.