Brazil has one of the highest levels of biological diversity due to its large geographical
area, high coverage by rainforests, and endemic biomes, such as the
Brazilian Atlantic Forest, Cerrado and Caatinga. Of the estimated 1.5 million
species of fungi only 5% are known. Much of this unknown biodiversity is in the
tropics, which is seriously threatened by some agricultural activities, reinforcing
the urgent need for biodiversity studies in these areas. The maintenance
and preservation of fungal cultures are important elements for such a requirment.
The establishment of a culture collection of filamentous fungi in the
Mycotoxins and Mycology Laboratory, Department of Food Science (CCDCA),
Federal University of Lavras (UFLA) commenced from the bases of species
maintenance, taxonomy, biotechnology and toxigenicity. The laboratory was established
in 2007 to preserve potentially mycotoxigenic fungi, especially ochratoxin
A and aflatoxins producers, which were isolated from food. Currently the
CCDCA has more than 1000 isolates of Aspergillus, Penicillium, Cladosporium,
Fusarium, Alternaria, Chaetomium, Mucor, Eurotium, and Neosartorya. A total
of 66 species are represented which were isolated from food, cave environments,
and soils of the Brazilian Atlantic Forest, Cerrado and Caatinga. A total of 328
cultures are preserved and maintained by periodic subculture, 137 by mineral
oil preservation, and 550 by filter paper preservation. The staff trains graduate
students in the taxonomy of major taxa of importance to agricultural research
and food science. Finally, the CCDCA and UFLA, Brazil, in collaboration with
the IBB-Biological Engineering Centre, Micoteca da Universidade do Minho,
Portugal, intend to develop a project on polyphasic studies of Aspergillus and
Penicillium isolated from various substrates, sources, and environments in Brazil.
To pursue this aim CCDCA intends to: a) preserve Aspergillus and Penicillium
strains for comparative studies between Brazilian regions and worldwide;
b) foster the study of Aspergillus and Penicillium for biotechnological and toxigenic
potential, and training in identification, preservation and distribution;
c) establish quality control of fungal assays; and d) establish the CCDCA as
a member of the global network of culture collections and participate in the
international forums and organisations related to culture collections
