Microorganisms are ubiquitous in the environment and represent the major form of life on Earth. They play fundamental roles in ecosystems, contributing to their functioning, and cover the surface of other organisms, interacting with their physiology. Therefore, microorganisms are key to environmental and human health, to science as well as to bioeconomy and biotechnology applications. Most of the microbial biodiversity is still unveiled, prompting for the need to expand our knowledge on yet uncharacterized microorganisms. At the same time, it is essential to preserve and maintain the currently known microbial biodiversity. In this view, collections and biobanks play a crucial role. The European Virus Archive - Global (EVA-Global; https://www.european-virus-archive.com/) is a non-profit organization involving a global network with expertise in animal, human and, starting from 2020, plant virology. It consists of more than 40 partner laboratories both based in EU member states and abroad. EVA-Global as part of the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme's funding is conceived to be an open access entity aiming at facilitating and developing synergies between scientific and industrial community. Its web-based catalogue (https://www.european-virus-archive.com/evag-portal), provides easy access for the end user to the collections including viruses, derived materials (nucleic acids, antisera, controls, infectious cDNA clones etc...) and services. Whereas EVA-Global is focused on viruses, SUS-MIRRI.IT (Strengthening the MIRRI Italian Research Infrastructure for Sustainable Bioscience and Bioeconomy) is a comprehensive PNRR project aimed at improving and reinforcing the Italian microbial collections, including those of fungi, yeasts, bacteria and viruses, as well as derived products (https://www.sus-mirri.it/it/). Both consortia share the highest scientific standards in terms of safety, quality and characterization through the implementation by partners of a quality management system. Besides fundamental studies and applied uses of microorganisms, a major final perspective is the preparedness of the scientific community, which is essential to face future challenges, as amply demonstrated during the current SARS-CoV-2 pandemic.
BIOBANKS AND COLLECTIONS: A FOCUS ON PLANT VIRUSES
L Rubino;M Ciuffo;M Vallino;AM Vaira;P Mussano;M Marra;GP Accotto
2023
Abstract
Microorganisms are ubiquitous in the environment and represent the major form of life on Earth. They play fundamental roles in ecosystems, contributing to their functioning, and cover the surface of other organisms, interacting with their physiology. Therefore, microorganisms are key to environmental and human health, to science as well as to bioeconomy and biotechnology applications. Most of the microbial biodiversity is still unveiled, prompting for the need to expand our knowledge on yet uncharacterized microorganisms. At the same time, it is essential to preserve and maintain the currently known microbial biodiversity. In this view, collections and biobanks play a crucial role. The European Virus Archive - Global (EVA-Global; https://www.european-virus-archive.com/) is a non-profit organization involving a global network with expertise in animal, human and, starting from 2020, plant virology. It consists of more than 40 partner laboratories both based in EU member states and abroad. EVA-Global as part of the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme's funding is conceived to be an open access entity aiming at facilitating and developing synergies between scientific and industrial community. Its web-based catalogue (https://www.european-virus-archive.com/evag-portal), provides easy access for the end user to the collections including viruses, derived materials (nucleic acids, antisera, controls, infectious cDNA clones etc...) and services. Whereas EVA-Global is focused on viruses, SUS-MIRRI.IT (Strengthening the MIRRI Italian Research Infrastructure for Sustainable Bioscience and Bioeconomy) is a comprehensive PNRR project aimed at improving and reinforcing the Italian microbial collections, including those of fungi, yeasts, bacteria and viruses, as well as derived products (https://www.sus-mirri.it/it/). Both consortia share the highest scientific standards in terms of safety, quality and characterization through the implementation by partners of a quality management system. Besides fundamental studies and applied uses of microorganisms, a major final perspective is the preparedness of the scientific community, which is essential to face future challenges, as amply demonstrated during the current SARS-CoV-2 pandemic.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
