The museum’s fungal strain collection today contains over 6,000 strains (including 350 Types) corresponding to 1,425 different species. The collection hosts many Ascomycetes and Zygomycetes, mostly saprophytic from food, and diversifies by focusing on marine fungal strains.

The enrichment of the collection at a rate of around 100 strains per year, under applicable regulations (CBD, Nagoya protocol), has a particular focus on ecological niches (arine sediments cores, intertidal zones, etc.). These specimens come from harvests and exchanges with other collections, and may also be sent out for identification by external correspondents.

These specimens attract researchers specialized in natural products chemistry, genomics, ecology…  The data on the strains are all computerised and available in the MYCOBASE database.

Complementary data on specific activities, DNA sequences, iconography, bibliography, etc. are added to the catalogue data as they are acquired. The first two complete genomes of the strains in the collection have been published in 2014.

The collection was founded in 1945 by Roger Heim, who was the director of the museum’s Cryptogamy research unit at the time. Designed from the outset to preserve the cultivable species harvested on the researchers’ missions, it gradually grew thanks to new harvests, donations, exchanges and acquisitions. These strains were initially kept alive by a series of transplantations into artificial culture media.

Today, the preservation methods have improved considerably and all the strains are frozen or lyophilized to keep them in a state of latent life. Therefore, we have, in a limited volume, fungi harvested around sixty years ago, still alive and able to be revived, cultured, studied and used for various purposes at any time.

At European level, the collection is known under the acronym LCP and is part of the European Culture Collection Organisation (ECCO). Internationally, it is registered with the World Data Centre for Microorganisms (WDCM) under no. 659.

The collection distributes an average of over 120 strains per year to researchers (systematics, chemistry, genomics, etc.), teachers and industrial companies for the production of useful molecules or the study of particular activities (enzymatic degradation, biocide resistance, etc.). The collection is thus involved in collaborations with public and private sector bodies (Universities, INRA, agri-food industry companies, cosmetology, etc.).

The collection offers a mould identification and consultancy service. On-site samples and audits may be performed on request. This expertise regularly leads to applied research contracts (screening for biological activities). It also responds to requests by artists who are fascinated by mould, and assists them with their projects (books, sculptures, etc.).

Dr Coralie Pavesi
coralie.pavesi1 [at] mnhn.fr (coralie[dot]pavesi1[at]mnhn[dot]fr) 
+33 1 40 79 31 33 

Attached research unit: UMR 7245 Communication Molecules and Adaptation of Micro-organisms (MCAM)
Taxonomic reference list: mycobank.org