CSBR: Living Stocks: The Bacillus Genetic Stock Center, an established key resource for a diverse and dynamic scientific community

<p>An award is made to the Bacillus Genetic Stock Center (BGSC) at the Ohio State University to support a central repository for maintaining, documenting, publicizing, and distributing a standardized collection comprising important strains of the bacterial genus Bacillus and its relatives. Bacillus plays a vital role in microbiology research. They synthesize a wide range of antibiotics, fine chemicals, vitamins, and industrial enzymes and serve as production platforms for biofuels and ecofriendly pesticides. Some species are useful as probiotics or in vaccine production; others play important roles in sterility assurance, food safety, and bioterrorism prevention. Bacillus research provides insights into bacterial physiology, development, and behavior. Accessioned cultures are stored cryogenically at a secure site at the Ohio State University. This award facilitates the provision of standardized cultures at a reasonable cost to qualified scientists and educators.</p>

<p>Each year, BGSC strains are used for hundreds of innovative projects, resulting in peer-reviewed publications and US patents. In addition, the BGSC supports undergraduate lab experiences and high school science fair projects. This award will support and strengthen the nation's scientific infrastructure by ensuring that this resource remains available to America's science and education communities. Additional information on strain data and community outreach programs is publicly available on the BGSC website (http://bgsc.org) and integrated into Bacillus gene and genome databases in the USA and Europe.</p>