Fungal cryopreservation across 61 genera: Practical application and method evaluation.

Area of Science:

• Mycology
• Cryobiology
• Biobanking

Background:

• Fungal research lags due to culturing difficulties (unpredictable growth, unknown conditions, long incubation).
• Preserving fungal diversity is vital for future research.
• Cryogenic biobanking is the best practice for fungal preservation but faces implementation barriers in smaller labs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present practical considerations for establishing a fungal culture biobank.
• To demonstrate the viability of cryogenically preserved fungi.
• To provide an economical methodology for smaller mycological laboratories.

Main Methods:

• Development of practical guidelines for fungal biobank establishment.
• Cryogenic preservation of 61 fungal genera at -165°C.
• Assessment of fungal viability after cryogenic storage.

Main Results:

• Successful cryogenic preservation and viability of 61 fungal genera demonstrated.
• A pragmatic methodology for preserving filamentous fungi was established.
• The biobank creation was shown to be economical for independent laboratories.

Conclusions:

• Cryogenic biobanking is a feasible and economical option for smaller mycological laboratories.
• This methodology facilitates long-term fungal biodiversity, conservation, and strain maintenance.
• Accessible fungal biobanking supports continued research in mycology.