Basidiomycete cryopreservation on perlite: evaluation of a new method

Area of Science:

• Mycology
• Cryobiology
• Biotechnology

Background:

• Long-term preservation of fungal cultures is crucial for research and industry.
• Traditional cryopreservation methods can lead to reduced viability and altered characteristics.
• Basidiomycetes, important fungi, require effective preservation techniques.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate a new cryopreservation method using perlite as a carrier for basidiomycetes.
• To assess the viability and key characteristics of mycelial cultures after extended liquid nitrogen storage.
• To compare the efficacy of the perlite protocol (PP) against an original agar plug protocol (OP).

Main Methods:

• Cryopreservation of 442 basidiomycete strains using the perlite protocol (PP) in liquid nitrogen.
• Assessment of viability, growth, morphology, and laccase production after 48 hours and 3 years.
• Comparative analysis of PP with the original agar plug protocol (OP) for 250 strains.

Main Results:

• The perlite protocol (PP) achieved 100% viability for all 442 strains after 3 years of cryopreservation.
• No noticeable changes in growth, morphology, or laccase production were observed with the PP.
• The original agar plug protocol (OP) resulted in only 57.6% survival for 250 strains after 3 years.

Conclusions:

• The perlite protocol (PP) is a highly effective method for long-term cryopreservation of basidiomycetes.
• Cryopreservation technique significantly impacts fungal strain survival and integrity.
• PP offers a superior alternative to the agar plug protocol (OP) for preserving fungal cultures.