A handy database for culture collections worldwide: CCINFO-PC

Area of Science:

• Microbiology
• Bioinformatics
• Resource Management

Background:

• Culture collections are vital repositories of microbial strains, cell lines, and genetic material.
• Limited internet accessibility hinders the public's awareness and utilization of these crucial biological resources.
• The WFCC World Data Center on Micro-organisms (WDCM) recognized the need to bridge this accessibility gap.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a user-friendly database for accessing information on global culture collections.
• To enhance the visibility and discoverability of microbial resources held by culture collections worldwide.
• To provide a centralized platform for researchers to find and utilize biological resources.

Main Methods:

• Development of a database system compatible with IBM PCs and compatibles.
• Integration of data on the activities of 484 culture collections across 58 countries.
• Inclusion of an integrated list of holdings (bacteria, fungi, yeast) and a data entry system.

Main Results:

• The database provides comprehensive information on a large number of international culture collections.
• It offers an integrated catalog of microbial holdings, facilitating resource discovery.
• A data entry system was implemented to support culture collections in managing their information.

Conclusions:

• The WDCM database significantly improves the accessibility and visibility of microbial culture collections.
• This initiative supports the biomedical community by providing better access to essential biological resources.
• The database serves as a powerful tool for researchers seeking microbial strains and related data.