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The Conservation and Study of Macromycetes in the Komarov Botanical Institute Basidiomycetes Culture Collection—Their Taxonomical Diversity and Biotechnological Prospects

Summary

This research describes a major fungal culture collection in Russia that preserves and studies mushroom species for scientific and practical uses. The collection maintains thousands of fungal strains that can produce valuable compounds for medicine and industry. The work helps preserve fungal biodiversity while enabling research into useful applications of fungi. Impacts on everyday life: – Helps preserve endangered mushroom species for future generations – Enables development of new medicines and therapeutic compounds from fungi – Supports production of industrial enzymes used in various consumer products – Advances understanding of fungi that could be used to break down pollutants – Maintains fungal resources that could be used to develop new antibiotics and antiviral drugs

Background

Culture collections play a vital role in ex situ conservation of biological material and maintaining fungal species and strains for scientific and practical purposes. The Komarov Botanical Institute Basidiomycetes Culture Collection (LE-BIN) was established in the late 1950s to investigate biological activity of Basidiomycetes and has become a unique specialized macromycetes collection in Russia.

Objective

The purpose was to present the main trends in working with LE-BIN cultures, analyze the taxonomical structure and variety of strains in the Culture Collection fund, and demonstrate achievements in ex situ conservation of macromycetes diversity and key results from screening collection strains as prospective producers of enzymes and bioactive compounds for biotechnology and medicine.

Results

The collection currently preserves 3,680 strains representing 776 species, with 98% being Basidiomycetes. Major orders include Agaricales (1,764 strains) and Polyporales (1,047 strains). Screening revealed strains producing valuable enzymes (oxidoreductases, proteases), lipids (polyunsaturated fatty acids), and bioactive compounds (triterpenoids, phthalides). Several strains showed antiviral activity against influenza viruses. The collection includes rare species and has contributed to 27 patents for biotechnological applications.

Conclusion

The considerable strain and species diversity, including unique specimens, enables use of the collection for systematic, phylogenetic, and biotechnological research. The collection’s development focuses on ex situ conservation of fungal diversity, particularly rare and endangered species, ectomycorrhizal fungi, and strains with biotechnology and medical applications. The taxonomic diversity is comparable to major international collections.
  • Published in:Journal of Fungi,
  • Study Type:Review,
  • Source: 10.3390/jof9121196
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