ATCC microbial cultures undergo rigorous authentication testing ensuring the quality and identity of the materials. A polyphasic characterization approach, employing both genotypic and phenotypic testing is applied to the holdings in the Microbiology collections. ATCC research staff continues to investigate new authentication methods and collaborate with diagnostic manufacturers to develop new technologies for bacterial identification.
Research & Development
ATCC scientists investigate a wide range of topics, including microbial pathogenesis, environmental microbiology and bacterial taxonomy through independent research and collaborative relationships with universities and private companies.
For more information on research activities at ATCC, please see individual collections Web pages.
Overview
The ATCC Mycology Collection is the most diverse assemblage of live fungi in the U.S. and one of the premier fungal collections in the world. This collection manages approximately 30,000 fungal strains (including yeasts),representing over 7,600 species and 1,500 genera, 4,076 of which are type strains. Additionally, this collection offers over 32,000 yeast genetic strains that include the historic Yeast Genetic Stock Center (YGSC) strains, the designed open reading frame (ORF) deletion strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae Genome Deletion Project (SGDP), and a collection of Cryptococcus neoformans ORF deletion strains.
Several ATCC fungi/yeasts are designated as standards in a variety of tests and instrument validation by national and international standards organizations. In this way, the ATCC Mycology Collection functions as a microbe reference provider. In addition, the Mycology Collection serves as a backup repository for fungi/yeasts used in research and development. Many of the strains have unique characteristics useful in fermentation, bio-control, production of secondary metabolites and enzymes for industrial, agricultural and environmental applications.
In the past, the acquisition, authentication and management of the collection were partly supported by the federal government through several competitive grant and contract mechanisms of the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Currently, one NSF grant sponsors the acquisition, authentication and cryopreservation of new fungal strains, as well as data archiving and public sharing of DNA sequencing information on these new acquisitions.
Acquisitions
The collection actively seeks newly identified fungi/yeasts, isolates with sequenced genomes, recent isolates of human and animal pathogens, and isolates with newly discovered properties.
Research & Development
In addition to managing the collection, ATCC mycology scientists investigate a wide range of topics, including fungal taxonomy and systematics, yeast genetics, genomics and biotechnology through independent research and collaborations with universities and other organizations.
Mycology Research Staff
Name: Jianlong "Jim" Zhou, PhD, University of Illinois (1996) in molecular biology and genetics; M.S., Chinese Academy of Sciences in Microbiology (1986); and BS, Nanjing Normal University in Biology (1983).
Responsibility: Collection Scientist/Research
Special Interest: Dr. Zhou was awarded a post-doctoral fellowship and trained at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (1996 – 2000) on Telomere Length Regulation and Cellular Senescence. Dr. Zhou's research currently focuses on the development of yeast-based platform technology for identifying modulators of human signal transduction to efficiently convert waste and underused biomass to value-added bioproducts. His group has engineered yeast that contain a functional human Jak-Stat signaling pathway. Other research areas include the evaluation of cryopreservation procedures and their impact on viability and genetic stability of microbes and development of new, cost-effective authentication methodologies for fungi/yeasts. He has published numerous peer-reviewed papers in journals such as Molecular and Cellular Biology and Acta Microbiologia Sinica. Dr. Zhou was invited to present and publish his findings at several conferences organized by the Society for Industrial Microbiology, American Society for Microbiology and Genetic Society of America. He serves on the Steering Committee of NIH-NCRR Resource Centers.
Name: Sung-Oui Suh, PhD, University of Tokyo in microbial systematics in 1993; BS, Kyung -Pook National University (South Korea) in microbiology in 1987
Responsibility: Collection Scientist/Research – Mycology/Botany
Special Interest: Dr. Suh’s research interests include symbiotic systems of insects and their fungal associates from the viewpoints of biodiversity, ecology, and molecular evolution. As a Collection Research Scientist, he collects a variety of yeasts and fungi from various sources in nature, such as digestive tract of insects, and studies on their industrial application and medical importance. Prior to joining ATCC, Dr. Suh worked on insect-associated fungi at LouisianaStateUniversity, and also on the microorganisms from deep-sea environment at Japan Marine Science and TechnologyCenter. He has published research findings in various journals, such as Molecular Biology and Evolution, Molecular Ecology, and Mycological Research.
Overview
The ATCC Protistology Collection houses the only general service collection of taxonomically diverse living stock protists in the U.S. In addition to being the only large service collection of parasitic protozoa in the world, the collection currently houses over 2000 protist strains, including nearly 1000 parasitic or opportunistic/commensal strains, 200 algae, and 40 protostelids.
The balance of the collection is composed of free-living non-photosynthetic species, including extensive representation of Paramecium spp. and Tetrahymena spp. Among the approximately 200 genera of protozoa represented, 150 are not available from any other culture collection.
With a focus on preservation technologies, ATCC Protistology is the only collection of its kind with nearly all of its available stocks cryopreserved. The collection has been recognized by the scientific community as the premier source of authenticated stocks of protists for use in research and education. Searchable accession records for protist collection organisms are accessible through the ATCC website.
Acquisitions
The ATCC Protistology collection is striving to acquire protists most useful to the scientific community, including prominent, diverse and understudied “type” and “genome sequence” strains. Major interests also include diversifying collection holdings through accessioning organisms that enhance taxonomic, geographic and environmental representation of species reported in the literature, online databases and at scientific meetings. These consist of high-interest species and strains with significant environmental, scientific or educational importance. Contact a collection scientist if you are interested in depositing a culture with ATCC.
Authentication
Morphological data is imperative for establishing the identity, health and purity of each protist. Due to the variety of protist taxa maintained at ATCC, the Protistology Collection continues to introduce, improve and standardize sequence and signature sequence tag authentication methodologies to cultures under accessioning. These include sequencing and analysis of the 18S rRNA gene as a general molecular authentication method for protists.
Research
Protistology personnel are actively involved in collaborative projects with researchers in academia. These include the generation of nucleic acids from a comprehensive list of organisms for the Reconstruction of Eukaryotic Phylogeny through Multigene Analysis of Microbial Eukaryotes project. In addition, the group contributes to research and development activities for the Biodefense and Emerging Infections Research Resources Repository (BEI Resources). Individual interests from research scientists include the study of host cell invasion, mechanisms of virulence proteins and pathogen-host interactions.
Protistology Research Staff
Name: Robert E. Molestina, PhD, University of Louisville in microbiology and immunology; BS, Catholic University of Ecuador
Responsibility: Collection Scientist – Protistology
Special Interest: Host parasite interactions using Toxoplasma as a model organism. Prior to joining ATCC, Dr. Molestina was a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Kentucky College of Medicine, where he studied the mechanisms of apoptosis inhibition by Toxoplasma. His work has been published in peer-reviewed journals covering diverse scientific disciplines, such as Infection and Immunity, Journal of Infectious Diseases, Journal of Cell Science, International Journal of Parasitology, and Cellular Microbiology. Currently, Dr. Molestina is the Collection Scientist in the Department of Protistoloty at ATCC. He is involved in the acquisition of protists contributing to the diversification of collection holdings. These include organisms that enhance taxonomic, geographic and environmental representation of species reported in the literature, online databases, and scientific meetings. Due to the variety of protist taxa maintained at ATCC, Dr. Molestina is also involved in the implementation of newer and standardized methodologies for the molecular authentication of cultures under accessioning. His group actively participates in a collaborative study with members of the Reconstruction of Eukaryotic Phylogeny through Multigene Analysis of Microbial Eukaryotes project. In addition to the general Protistology collection, Dr. Molestina oversees the protozoa collection at the Biodefence and Emerging Infections Research Resources Repository (BEI Resources). He supervises the acquisition, authentication, and distribution of category B priority pathogenic parasites to the scientific community. These include: Entamoeba histolytica, Giardia Iamblia, Toxoplasma gondii, Cryptosporidium parvum, Cyclospora cayatanensis, and members of the phylum Microsporidia. Dr. Molestina’s research interests involve the study of host-pathogen interactions using the opportunistic protozoan parasite Toxoplasma gondii as a model organism. His work uses a combination of molecular, biochemical and cell biology approaches to identify host and parasite factors affecting the cell cycle of the infected cell.
Name: Timothy T. Stedman, PhD, Medical College of Virginia/Virginia Commonwealth University (1995); BS, University of Rhode Island (1987).
Responsibility: Research Scientist – Protistology
Special Interest: Dr. Stedman directs the Malaria Research and Reference Reagent Resource Center (MR4) in support of the worldwide malaria research community, and is also engaged in enriching biodiversity within the ATCC Protistology collection. His research interests focus on the molecular cell biology of intracellular parasitism in the phylum Apicomplexa. While at Yale University School of Medicine, he was involved in the mapping of vesicle-mediated protein trafficking pathways in the ubiquitous opportunistic parasite Toxoplasma gondii.
Name: Tetsuya Furuya, PhD, DVM, received his DVM from Tokyo University in 1991 and his PhD in Veterinary Pathobiology from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 2000.
Responsibility: Research Scientist – Protistology
Special Interest: Dr. Furuya is interested in molecular mechanism for differentiation of protozoan parasites, particularly Plasmodium falciparum, the most virulent species of the human malaria parasite. Dr. Furuya has discovered molecules specific to and important for development of the sexual stages (gametocytes) formed by the parasite that are ingested and transmitted by mosquitoes to humans. Dr. Furuya is trying to find chemicals that interfere with the sexual differentiation and antigens which can be targets for transmission blocking vaccines. Prior to joining ATCC Dr. Furuya was a research fellow at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIH), where he studied molecular biology and genetics of Plasmodium falciparum to map the male development defect gene of the parasite. He has published research findings in high-impact journals such as the Proceedings of the NationalAcademy of Sciences, Journal of Biological Chemistry and Molecular and Biochemical Parasitology as first authors.
Name: Thavamani Rajapandi, PhD, Madurai Kamaraj University - biotechnology (India); BS, Madurai Kamaraj University –chemistry (India).
Responsibility: Research Scientist – Protistology
Special Interest: Dr. Rajapandi studies the apicomplexan parasites Plasmodium falciparum and Cryptosporidium parvum, and is specifically interested in elucidating the molecular mechanisms by which their virulence proteins are remodeled and transported to the host-plasma membrane. Prior to joining ATCC, Dr. Rajapandi was a research associate at Wesleyan University (Conn.), where he studied the molecular mechanism of protein translocation in E. coli and B. subtilis. Dr. Rajapandi was also a research fellow at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIH), where he studied the proteomics of the P. falciparum secretome with emphasis on membrane permeability pathways. He has published his research findings in several high-impact journals, such as Cell, Blood, Biochemistry, the Journal of Bacteriology, the Journal of Biological Chemistry, and Molecular Microbiology. He has also been a member of the American Society for Cell Biology and the American Society for Tropical Medicine and Hygeine. Major areas of investigation in the laboratory include: Identification of protein-folding or –remodeling chaperone machinery specific to a unique class of prion domain-containing malaria parasite virulence proteins; Identification of malaria parasite nutrient acquisition channel protein(s) by screening a Phage-Display malaria parasite cDNA library; and our research efforts are focused on the identification of novel surface proteins of another apictomplexan parasite, Cryptosporidium parvum, in order to develop methods for the detection of oocysts, and for the identification of drug targets.
Thavamani Rajapandi Selected Publications: Coming soon
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Overview/History
The ATCC Virology Collection was initiated in 1950 as a Viral and Rickettsial Registry, a central resource for sharing valuable biological reagents throughout the scientific research community. Since then, the collection of animal viruses, chlamydiae and rickettsiae has grown from 45 to more than 2,000 holdings. A variety of antisera to animal viruses are also now available, deposited as reference reagents by NIAID. Beginning in 1951, a wide variety of plant viruses and antisera was added to the repository at the request of and in collaboration with the scientific community.
Everyday scientists throughout the world use biological reagents obtained from the ATCC Virology Collection for medical, veterinary, agricultural, academic and industrial research and development. ATCC is recognized as a repository for reference cultures by the International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses (ICTV) and the International Committee on Systematics of Prokaryotes (ICSP). The company has provided expertise for standardization of virus taxonomy through the ICTV and has provided assistance in the form of targeted reagent acquisition at the request of various scientific organizations, such as the Poxvirus Bioinformatics Resource Center. Supported by well established and secure repository operations, as well as expert scientific staff, ATCC distributes critical reference materials, including the Adenovirus Reference Material (ARM), developed through the Williamsburg Bioprocessing Foundation and widely used for standardizing gene vector preparations used in gene therapy. The Virology Collection strives to maintain links to the virology community, through an Advisory Committee of the American Society for Virology (ASV), meeting attendance, comments from website visitors, and other contacts made in the course of acquisition, characterization and accessioning of biological materials.
ATCC continues to expand the Animal Virology Collection (including chlamydiae, rickettsiae and other obligate intracellular bacteria) with the help of the research community.
Acquisitions
The ATCC Virology Collection is actively seeking recent isolates of human respiratory viruses, agents whose genomes have been fully sequenced, and other items of broad interest to the scientific community. The acquisition and accessioning of materials into the Collection has historically been supported by external funding. Due to changing priorities at the national level, such funding has not been available for to ATCC for several years, limiting accessioning capabilities of the organization. If external funding is available, or if the contributor is able to prepare the first lot for deposit at ATCC, additional items of less broad interest can be accessioned and distributed, such as newly identified type strains. Deposits of plant pathogens are not being accepted at this time.
Authentication
At the time of acquisition, the ATCC Virology Collection obtains as much information as possible about deposited materials, including original source, passage history, preferred host and recommended culture practices. The growth properties and requirements of each new organism are characterized, effects of infection in cell culture are documented microscopically, and sterility and freedom from mycoplama contamination are verified. If bacterial, fungal or mycoplasma contamination is found, a “cure” is attempted. After accessioning, each batch prepared for distribution is tested again for sterility and freedom from mycoplasma, and assessed for infectivity and identity. Bacterial and fungal sterility is evaluated by standard methods under aerobic and anaerobic conditions. Absence of mycoplasma is verified by PCR and by direct culture on broth and agar. Titer is established by endpoint dilution titration in cell culture or eggs. Identity is verified on the basis of expected cytopathic effects, reactivity with specific immunological or biochemical agents, and/or by PCR. Whenever possible, sequence information is obtained from a PCR amplicon for organism identification at the genetic level.
Research & Development
The interests of ATCC Virology Collection scientists currently focus on enhancing the availability of existing products and deriving associated reagents of value in research and development. One current project involves establishment of molecular authentication methods for virus families, with the ultimate purpose of product-specific genetic identification for all items within the Collection. The Collection has developed a line of purified viral nucleic acids, useful for control reagents and as substrates for molecular virology. We welcome, opportunities, input and collaboration for identification and characterization of other biological reagents of use to academic and industrial research communities.
Virology Research Staff
Name: Peggy Fahnestock, PhD, University of Washington Medical School (1987); BS, Mount Holyoke College (1976).
Responsibility: Collection Scientist/Research – Virology
Special Interest: Dr. Fahnestock is a general virologist who delights in the characterization of the diverse virus families in the earthly biome. Her efforts currently focus on curation of the extensive collection of pathogens in the ATCC Virology Collection, and in developing genetic methods for identification of viruses at the strain level. Dr. Fahnestock’s background includes both academic and industrial experience. After obtaining her PhD working with adenovirus, she performed postdoctoral research in adenovirology and protein biochemistry through the UCLA Molecular Biology Institute, California Institute of Technology and the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, and supported pre-clinical development of virus vaccines at Merck Research Laboratories. She became Collection Scientist of the ATCC Virology Collection in November 2006. She has published research findings in a number of journals including Science, Journal of Virology, Immunity, and Biochemistry.
Peggy Fahnestock Selected Publications
Overview/History
The ATCC Bacteriology Collection represents the most diverse public assemblage of prokaryotes in the world. The collection includes strains relevant to public health, medicine, industrial microbiology, agriculture, and environmental microbiology.
The collection currently offers over 18,000 strains, including 4,600 species from 963 genera. This total accounts for about 73%of validated and described prokaryote genera. Every important physiological prokaryotic group is represented. Over 3,600 species held are Type cultures that form the basis for systematic bacteriology.
The ATCC Bacteriology Collection is recognized as a repository for reference cultures. Strains are listed in Bergey’s Manual of Systematic Bacteriology and other standards reference manuals. The acceptance of ATCC bacterial strains by organizations from a variety of different disciplines highlights the importance of our holdings and the value of ATCC’s acquisition, authentication, and research and development programs.
Acquisitions
The collection actively seeks isolates with sequenced genomes, recent isolates of human and animal pathogens, particularly emerging infectious agents and type strains of newly identified species of Bacteria and Archaea.
Authentication
ATCC prokaryotic cultures undergo rigorous authentication testing ensuring the quality of the materials whether used in scientific research or industrial applications.
Authentication methods encompass both genotypic (gene sequencing, riboprinting) and phenotypic (using both traditional physiological tests and automated platforms) analyses.
ATCC research staff continually investigates new authentication methods and collaborates with diagnostic manufacturers to develop new technologies for bacterial identification.
Research & Development
ATCC bacteriology scientists investigate a wide range of topics, including microbial pathogenesis, environmental microbiology and bacterial taxonomy through independent research and collaborative relationships with universities and private companies.
Research and development activities also focus on the development of new reagents (for example, Media Supplements) and products (such as nucleic acids) designed to serve the needs of the scientific community.
ATCC’s scientists collaborate with scientists from various academic and biopharmaceutical organizations on myriad research programs.
Bacteriology Research Staff
Name: Marian L. McKee, PhD, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences in microbiology and immunology (1995); BS, Duke University in zoology (1986).
Responsibility: Director, Microbiology Collections
Special Interest: Dr. McKee focuses on microbial pathogenicity with an emphasis on toxin biology. Her group is developing methods for assay of ribosomal inhibiting protein (RIP) and pore-forming toxins to better understand their mechanisms of action, to identify small molecule inhibitors and as a means for detection. Prior to joining ATCC Dr. McKee was a staff scientist at the National Cancer Institute, where she studied the molecular biology of Pseudomonas exotoxin A and participated in the development of PE as a mucosal vaccine delivery system. She has published research findings in prestigious journals such as the Journal of Biological Chemistry, Infection and Immunity and the Journal of Molecular Biology. She has also been a member of the editorial board of Infection and Immunity and is an inventor of 3 U.S. patents.
Name: Brian Beck, PhD, University of Wisconsin-Madison in bacteriology (1999); BS, Cornell University in microbiology (1993).
Responsibility: Collection Scientist/Research – Bacteriology
Special Interest: Bacterial physiology and chemogenomics. Dr. Beck investigates the chemical biology of bacterial secondary metabolism. His interests range from the isolation and description of new isolates that produce natural products with therapeutic potential to targeting the biosynthesis of siderophores and toxic compounds in pathogenic bacteria for the development of new antimicrobials.
Name: Timothy G. Lilburn, PhD, University of British Columbia in microbiology; BS, University of British Columbia in microbiology.
Responsibility: Research Scientist – Bacteriology
Special Interest: Dr. Lilburn researches prokaryotic taxonomy and microbial systems biology. His taxonomic research is aimed at establishing a phylogenetically-based prokaryotic taxonomy (see the Taxonomic Outline of Bacteria and Archaea) and creating tools for community participation in taxonomic research (see the Taxonomy Browser). His research into the evolution of microbial systems has the goal of understanding how microbial phenotypes emerge in response to environmental selection. Dr. Lilburn has published in Science, Briefings in Bioinfomatics and other high-impact journals. His publications have been cited over 1,600 times.
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The microbial toxins collection is operated jointly by ATCC and the Biodefense and Emerging Infections Research Resouces Repository (BEI Resources), a program funded by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) and managed by ATCC. Purified toxins, toxoids and subunits, as well as antibodies and cell lines with known sensitivities are available through BEI Resources to registered users. This new collection resides within the ATCC Bacteriology program and will be expanded to encompass mycotoxins and invertebrate toxins.
Toxin Research staff
Name: Melissa Swope Willis, PhD, Yale University in pharmacology (1998); BS, Central Missouri State University in biology (1992).
Responsibility: Research Scientist II – Toxin Program
Special Interest: Dr. Willis is a research scientist in the toxin program and her research focuses on the interaction of pore-forming toxins with the membrane of sensitive cells. Prior to joining ATCC, Dr. Willis was a research scientist at Vertex Pharmaceuticals Inc., in the protein biochemistry group. Her research focused on the dynamics of protein refolding; in particular, the refolding of toxin peptides from spider and cone snail venom. Her doctoral work at Yale University and post-doctoral work at the Center for Blood Research at HarvardUniversity focused on the relationship between the structure and function of cytokines and chemokines. Dr. Willis has published in the book “Methods in Molecular Biology” and the journals Protein Science, Journal of Biological Chemistry, and Biochemistry, among others. She is a member of the American Chemical Society, the Protein Society, and the American Association for the Advancement of Science.