Microbial culture collections in Russia and the former USSR--the current situation and future prospects.

This article provides an overview of the microbial culture collections currently in existence in Russia and, to a lesser extent, in other countries within the former USSR territory, with the emphasis on biotechnologically relevant, nonmedical collections. The influence of both past constraints and those resulting from the recent political and economic restructuring is discussed in terms of the efforts that need to be made to secure the future of the collections as valuable national and international resources. Details of the current framework are provided to enable the reader to establish contact with appropriate establishments.