USING MICROORGANISMS FROM TYPE CULTURES COLLECTION FOR FERMENTATION

This may be considered the most easy, convenient way to start a fermentation by obtaining the cultures directly from culture collection centres. Superficially it seems that you save time and money by not trying to search and screen microbial isolates from various habitats to provide microorganisms for the fermentation process. But is it so?

While it is true certain groups of microorganisms can produce antibiotics, and obtaining these microorganisms should be economical and we are still assured of its antibiotic producing capabilities. It must be noted however that these microorganisms in the Culture Collections are just kept for reference and taxonomic purposes and studies. They are not industrial strains or high yielder. Logically if the strain is a super producer it would be kept under tight security under lock and key:))

The microorganisms maintained at the Culture Collections are products of isolation and identification years ago which are perpetually maintained by periodic sub culturings. Maybe these microorganisms have "lost" some of its important genetic traits?

It is better to search for new strains from exotic habitats in the hope of finding a super producing strain or a new metabolite