KOPRI Culture Collection for Polar Microorganisms (KCCPM)

Abstract

Korea Polar Research Institute (KOPRI) Culture Collection for Polar Microorganisms (KCCPM) is the culture collection for polar algae. Since 1989, we have collected various psychrophilic polar organisms including microalgae and macroalgae near King Sejong Station, Maxwell Bay, King George Island in the Antarctic, and more recently near Dasan Station, Ny-Ålesund, Svalbard in the Arctic. We maintains around 170 strains from Antarctic and Arctic, the preponderance marine diatoms, and we also keep up some chlorophytes, cyanophytes, small flagellates, and freshwater organisms as well. From these collections, we have cultivated in the 2℃ culture room with LED lights consisting of three single wavelength red (660nm), green (530nm) and blue (460nm). We have assessed the diversity of psychrophilic polar diatoms cultivated in the KCCPM and attempted to establish phylogenetic relationships among the diverse micro-algae based on light microscopic and electron microscopic observations as well as molecular investigations. An important consequence of our results is the establishment of a database for psychrophilic polar micro-algae based on morphological observations and molecular investigations in the KCCPM.