Ch. 8— Maintaining Microbial Diversity • 213 



One network of microbiological resource 

 centers (MIRCENs) has been addressing these 

 obstacles for almost a decade (12) (see ch. 10). 

 In practice, however, this endeavor has been 

 frustrated by an inability to come up with stand- 

 ardized data sets that reconcile the different 

 orientations of individual collections world- 

 wide and by financial resources that fall far 

 short of the level required (12). 



A more focused attempt to achieve an in- 

 tegrated microbial resource database was ini- 

 tiated in 1984 by UNESCO. This MIRCEN proj- 

 ect is still being developed and provides for 

 standardization of a minimum data set for char- 

 acterized strains oi Rhizobium (the bacteria in- 

 volved in nitrogen fixation in soybeans, alfalfa, 

 beans, and other legumes); adoption of com- 

 patible database management systems; and 

 periodic publication of an integrated catalog 

 of the collections held at Beltsville, Maryland 

 (USA), Porto Alegre (Brazil), Nairobi (Kenya), 

 and Maui, Hawaii (USA). 



An appraisal of the lessons learned in the inter- 

 national MIRCEN effort could greatly benefit 

 establishment of a National Microbial Research 

 Network. Reservations may be expressed about 

 whether the institution-building rationale for 

 the MIRCEN program will mean the collections 

 are of less-than-optimal quality; nevertheless, 

 with limited financial resources, the MIRCEN 

 program has achieved a high degree of network 

 effectiveness, including regular global and re- 

 gional newsletters, electronic data exchange, 

 and computer conferences. 



Develop Methods for Isolation 

 and Culture 



An important challenge to maintaining 

 micro-organisms offsite is the development of 

 methods for culture of those organisms that 

 have not yet been isolated in the laboratory (19). 

 Basic research into the isolation and cultiva- 

 tion of these fastidious micro-organisms is es- 

 sential to further applications of the world's 

 microbial diversity. Research on microbial cul- 

 ture would allow better characterization of 

 diversity in natural environments as well as en- 

 able more efficient handling of difficult micro- 



organisms in existing collections. Efforts to iso- 

 late the Legionella micro-organism or the 

 retrovirus (human T-cell leukemia-lymphoma 

 virus) associated with acquired immune defi- 

 ciency syndrome (AIDS) illustrate both the dif- 

 ficulty and importance of such research. 



An appreciation of the complexity of the tech- 

 nical barriers faced by microbiologists trying 

 to isolate and culture many micro-organisms 

 is necessary to support research. Basic studies 

 of microbial physiology, through grant pro- 

 grams and in-house research by such agencies 

 as the National Science Foundation, U.S. De- 

 partment of Agriculture, and the National In- 

 stitutes of Health (NIH), can improve present 

 abilities to isolate and culture micro-organisms. 



Study of Microbial Ecology 



Another research priority is that of microbial 

 interactions that permit efficient functioning 

 of the microbial flora of an environment and, 

 ultimately, support higher organisms in that 

 environment. Research into microbial ecology 

 is an integral part of any strategy to preserve 

 micro-organisms. Present understanding of 

 microbial ecology and the extent of microbial 

 diversity in ecosystems is, however, inadequate 

 (19,25). Many plants and animals depend on 

 bacteria and fungi in the environment to sur- 

 vive (25). In some cases, such as digestion in 

 the termite or dairy cattle, microbes are impor- 

 tant parts of the organism's basic physiology. 

 Study of the soil micro-organisms that are ac- 

 tive in nutrient recycling, such as those asso- 

 ciated with nitrogen fixation, are of great po- 

 tential importance to agriculture. 



Grant programs and in-house research at 

 agencies such as NIH, USDA, the Department 

 of Energy, and the Environmental Protection 

 Agency could focus on improved understand- 

 ing of microbial ecology. Present efforts are 

 spread over several agencies with little coordi- 

 nation. Examination of the overall efforts re- 

 lating to microbial ecology and diversity could 

 lead to better coordination of research and de- 

 velopment of a specific funding program within 

 one agency that would address microbial ecol- 

 ogy research. 



