This article presents the Microalgae Culture Collection of the M.G. Kholodny Institute of Botany, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine (IBASU-A), which was established by Professor Nadiya P. Massjuk in 1960. Currently, it is the largest algal collection in Ukraine and has been designated as an Ukrainian National Heritage unit since 2013. The structure, history, and development of the collection are described. It maintains 500 strains representing 186 prokaryotic and eukaryotic species from 100 genera and 10 classes, including Cyanobacteria (32 species), Chlorophyta (125), Charophyta (23), Euglenophyta (2), and Heterokontophyta (6). The IBASU-A holdings include halophilic, freshwater, and terrestrial algae, as well as biotechnologically significant strains, rare taxa, authentic strains (ex-type cultures, etc.), and a unique collection of bacterial associates of algae. The primary mission of IBASU-A is the isolation, preservation, management, and supply of algal strains for academic research and biotechnology. Several strains of taxa belonging to the families Chlorellaceae, Scenedesmaceae, and Selenastraceae have been successfully employed in various applied projects, serving as test objects for assessing the toxicity and carcinogenicity of organic substances, as well as biological agents for industrial waste treatment and high-yield biomass producers for biofuel production. A feature of the IBASU-A collection is that, along with algae cultures, strains of bacteria accompanying microalgae in nature (bacterial consorts) are deposited there: 270 strains isolated from 45 xenic cultures of green algae.

Keywords: authentic strains, bacterial consorts, biodiversity, biotechnology, collection, cultures, cyanobacteria, ex-type cultures, IBASU-A, microalgae, National Heritage, rare species

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