The BCCM/ULC collection of cyanobacteria in the spotlight at ULiège

The ULC public collection of cyanobacteria belongs since 2011 to the consortium of Belgian Co-Ordinated Collections of Microorganisms (BCCM). It aims to conserve ‘ex situ’ a representative portion of the biodiversity of cyanobacterial diversity of different origins, with a focus on Antarctic and Artic cyanobacteria isolated from terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. BCCM/ULC currently holds 174 cyanobacterial strains that are available for researchers who study taxonomy, evolution, biogeography and the adaptation to harsh environmental conditions.
The strains are identified by morphology and molecular characterization (based on rRNA sequences) and belong to the Synechococcales, Oscillatoriales, Pleurocapsales, Chroococcidiopsidales and Nostocales orders. This large taxonomic distribution renders it a suitable reference point for phylogenomic and genomic make-up studies. Regular transfer of living cultures ensures the conservation of strains, whose majority are also cryopreserved in order to limit the genetic drift.
BCCM/ULC obtained an ISO 9001:2015 certification for public and safe deposits, and for distribution of living strains and genomic DNA. The BCCM policy continuously aims to guarantee a safe fit-for-use microbiological material and data compliant with the rules on access and utilization of the Nagoya Protocol. In addition, BCCM/ULC provides, to clients from academia & industry, a service of morphological identification and molecular characterization, along with other scientific services as tailor-made trainings and collaborations.
The public collection is progressively enriched by public deposits from other geographical areas and by incorporating the most interesting strains from the research collection of the host laboratory. The latter is also involved in the valorisation of the collection and collaborations, aiming to study the molecular mechanisms of adaptation to cold stress in polar strains, their production of potential bioactive compounds, to decipher and analyze their genomes and to determine the usefulness of their pigments as ‘traces of life’ in astrobiology.