Culture Collection of Algae and Protozoa (CCAP)

The Culture Collection of Algae and Protozoa (CCAP) is a resource of living strains of micro-organisms and seaweeds which have been collected from a wide range of environmental habitats. Beginning with Prof Ernst Georg Pringsheim in the early 20th century, scientists have isolated strains from the sea, rock pools, sea-ice, rivers and lakes, soil, tree bark and stone, which have then been maintained in the CCAP as either living cultures or stored frozen in liquid nitrogen. The Collection is based in the Scottish Association for Marine Science (SAMS) in Oban on the west coast of Scotland.

It provides living cultures which are used:
1) By universities for teaching and research
2) By biotechnologists screening for bioactive compounds
3) For fish and shellfish hatcheries for larval feeding
4) As reference strains for shellfish toxin detection
5) As reference strains for ecotoxicologists testing water quality
6) In biofuel research including, as an example, plans by architects to have algal fuel factories in transparent house walls
7) By artists who, for instance, have used microscopic bioluminescent algae in art installations

The organisms provide a wealth of biodiversity from beautiful tiny diatoms with glass cell walls of intricate and beautiful shapes; large amoeba which glide around and engulf food particles; fast swimming green unicells and freshwater desmids with bilateral symmetry. As such, CCAP is the most biodiverse culture collection in the world.

During the funding period, CCAP will continue to supply all the core functions described and will train staff to in use of innovative techniques. It will respond to its user base and expand its collection to incorporate new discoveries and fully embrace the genomics revolution, as well as develop knowledge around the role of microbiomes to algal health and wellbeing.

To help CCAP achieve greater impact, a new Steering Group comprising external experts, along with NOC and SAMS representatives, will provide advice and guidance in support of the Facility. CCAP will continue implementation of a quality assurance management, with the expectation to achieve ISO9001 certification by the end of 2018. CCAP will also address full compliance with the Nagoya Protocol to ensure the fair access and sharing of any benefits derived from the strains safe-guarded by CCAP.

The CCAP Facility will provide extensive and diverse economic and societal benefits through provision of living biological materials, along with advice and training to industry, academia and educators; interaction and engagement with public through outreach and exhibits; fulfilment of patent deposit obligations under the Budapest Treaty; expansion of collaborative research and commercial networks in the UK, EU and worldwide.

Industrial and biotechnological applications: Examples are the application of strains supplied for fish and shellfish aquaculture in the UK, Europe and Asia and Africa. Algae are used for larval feeding in marine finfish and shellfish hatcheries. These industries provide healthy food for society and employment in mostly rural areas. On-going research is improving this further through selection of optimum strains and growth conditions. Similar impacts will be gained as CCAP develops biobanking facilities for the growing European seaweed farming industry and for novel seaweed pathogens. In the latter CCAP will support a GCRF funded project, coordinated at SAMS, which will benefit seaweed farmers in Tanzania, The Philippines and Indonesia. Biotechnologists can deposit potentially valuable cultures in CCAP as patents strains. Often these have special properties such as high production levels of polyunsaturated fatty acids or pigments which offer healthy nutraceutical benefits. Other impacts of the uses of CCAP services are the application of the strains as reference materials for toxic phytoplankton standards; standard strains used in water quality testing; used for testing anti-fouling paints; in bioremediation systems.

Educational and outreach applications: Educating the public in 'ocean literacy' is one of the aims of host institute, SAMS, and in supporting the local Ocean Explorer Centre with cultures for microscopy and interpretation, the Collection allows visiting families and students to learn about the appearance, function and uses of phytoplankton. A dynamic website and social media channels including a new Instagram account are used to reach public audiences outside our region and to allow for engagement and interactivity. CCAP provides cultures with experimental instructions for schools and higher educational practical classes. The wide biodiversity in the Collection offers unique access to living protists and the opportunity to directly observe microscopic ciliates, amoeba and photosynthetic organisms. Under the auspices of the University of the Highlands and Islands (UHI) SAMS delivers undergraduate and postgraduate teaching in marine science, aquaculture and marine biotechnology. The CCAP contributes to training the next generation of researchers and professionals through lectures, practical classes, provision of cultures and supervision and hosting of research projects.
CCAP has a dynamic website with a catalogue of strains which can be purchased online, links to related sites, and numerous methods and media recipes which enable the remote user to culture strains

All of these impacts already happen as a result of previous and current S&F funding, however, we aim to increase the benefit over the commissioning period as described in the Pathways to Impact.