Biological Resource Center or Korean Collection for Type Cultures (KCTC) is very well known both domestically and internationally. KCTC joined the World Federation of Culture Collections (WFCC) in 1985 and the World Data Center for Microorganisms (WDCM) in 1986. It also gained the status of an International Depositary Authority (IDA) from the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) in 1990, under the Budapest Treaty. KCTC currently collects, preserves, and distributes biological resources, including archaea, aerobic, or anaerobic bacteria, molds, yeasts, plant cell lines, animal/human cell lines, and patent strains. All biological resources are extensively qualitycontrolled.
KCTC also endeavors to construct collaborative networks with other BRCs to support both scientific and industrial communities.
Major functions of KCTC:
Collection, preservation, and distribution of biological resources
Development of core technologies to foster valuable biological resources
Construction of collaborative networks and support of services and education associated with biological resources
Research Areas
Acquisition and Management of biological resources
Development of core technologies for biological resources
Construction of infrastructure networks and support for services and education related to biological resources
Construction and application technology development of the infra-system for Korean gut microbiome
Development and management of valuable plant cell resources
Development of core technologies for plant cell diff erentiation and plant regeneration
Biotechnological application of plant-associated microbes
Development of genome editing technology in plants
KCTC has collected 36,990 biological resources nationally and internationally, and distributed 6,090 strains to research organizations, such as universities, research institutes, and private companies in 2019.
Biological resources of KCTC include 6,896 patent strains, 6,442 proteobacteria, 5,480 molds, 4,743 actinobacteria, 4,257 firmicutes, 2,843 yeasts, 1,575 microalgae, 273 archaea, 739 plant cell lines, 185 animal/human cell lines, and 3,557 other resources.
KCTC provides workshops and training courses on the cultivation, preservation, and management of biological resources for domestic users of bioresources as well as international researchers who are ACM members. Last year, 10 domestic workshops were provided and the 9th international training course on microbial taxonomy was held for 4 weeks in KCTC, in conjunction with 4 international ACM members from Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, and Mongolia.
KCTC is conducting “The Korean Gut Microbiome Bank (KGMB) Project”, which includes the metagenomic analysis of the human gut microbiome and the isolation of real bacterial resources such as anaerobic bacteria, from Korean people. In addition, “Animal Gut Microbiome Bank (AGMB) projet” has been in operation since its launch in 2019.
Researchers at KCTC has published 42 scientific papers, including descriptions of 13 microbial taxa in 2019.
KCTC acquired 420 novel type strains that were reported in international taxonomy journals in 2019.
In addition, biological resources of KCTC have been cited by over 409 research papers in 2019 (based on Scopus).
KCTC and WDCM are collaborating on the project GCM* 2.0 to determing the whole genome sequence of microbial type strains. KCTC also takes an active part in ACM proceedings for discussing collaborative plans for the conservation and sustainable use of biological resource with BRC in Asian countries.
* GCM: Global Catalogue of Microorganisms
Selected Publications
Methyl jasmonate increases isoflavone production in soybean cell cultures by activating structural genes involved in isoflavonoid biosynthesis.
J Agric Food Chem 2018; 66:4099-4105.
Dr. Cha Young Kim (Corresponding)
Bacterial diversity of bat guano from Cabalyorisa Cave, Mabini, Pangasinan, Philippines: a first report on the metagenome of Philippine bat guano.
PLOS ONE 2018; 13:e0205947.
Dr. Doo-Sang Park (Corresponding)
Jatrophihabitans telluris sp. nov., isolated from sediment soil of lava forest wetlands and the emended description of the genus Jatrophihabitans.
