Before and After the International Collaboration on
Inventory and Sustainable Use of Microbes in Indonesia
Puspita Lisdiyanti, Yantyati Widyastuti, and Endang Sukara
Research Center for Biotechnology, Indonesia Institute of Sciences
The inventory and sustainable use of microbes in Indonesia especially in Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI) wasstarted in Treub Laboratory of Buitenzorg (Bogor) Botanical Garden. Bogor Botanical Garden itself had been established in 1817,and Dr. M. Treub was the botanist and director the Garden for nearly 30 years (1880-1909). Many microorganisms such as
mychorrizal fungi, fresh water microalgae, plant disease bacteria such as Bacillus saccharis, Aspergillus sp., and Penicillium sp.,
had been studied and collected by Dr. M. Treub itself or scientific visitors from all over the world in the Laboratory. All the
microorganisms were related to tropical plants such as orchids, sugar cane, plant disease microbes, microalgae, etc.
In 1934, the researches in Treub Laboratory of Bogor Botanical Garden were stops and the collection of microbes wasnot continued. The research in the Laboratory was starting again in 1959 by Indonesian Government and Indonesian researchers,
but the microbiological work has just begun in 1960s. The research topics were tailored to or incline to support government
programs mainly on the application of science to improve human welfare. Inventory of microbes should be related of the uses ofmicrobes. In 1970s, microbiologist community in Indonesia had succeeded in establishing the Indonesian Society of Microbiology
in September 1973 to maintain the required contact and communication microbiologist society in Indonesia. The number ofmembers has flourished from around 100 to almost 1,000 at present and this society is very active society in Indonesia in organizing
international seminar every year and publishing an international journal. In LIPI, the microbiologist have been developed andincreased also in this time.
The collection of fungi, Rhizobium, and yeast in LIPI was increased since 1977. Focus has been attention to microbes inagriculture and fermented foods. Although for centuries microbes have been used in Indonesia to prepare traditional fermented
foods and beverages such as tempe (fermented soybean by Rhizopus), oncom (fermented tofu waste by red mold), tapai(fermented glutinous rice), terasi (fermented fish paste), kecap (sweet soy sauce), brem (fermented rice), and tuak (fermented
beverage from rice), there are no large scale industries in these microbial processes. Until now, these foods have been produced
through home-based operations, the techniques and equipment recycled from generation to generation. Understandably, production
processes have scarcely changed, much less improved. Modern science has not entered into these traditional food production
methods, although they could become important industrial resources. Currently, only the inoculums of tempe is producing by LIPI.
The international collaboration on the uses of microbes between LIPI and overseas partners under a variety ofcooperative schemes such as between LIPI-EU (European Union), LIPI and Australia-ASEAN member countries, and LIPI-JSPS,
therefore, have been developed in 1980s-1990s. The results of collaboration were not only in increasing the number of holdings
cultures focus on agriculture and fermentation technology, but also the number of publications in internationally scientific journals
as well as the number of qualified researchers.
After the declaration of Convention of Biological Diversity (CBD) in 1992, the consideration of the richness of Indonesia
as mega biodiversity country has been increased. The attempt for inventory the microbial cultures as well as flora and fauna
Indonesia have been increased. Indonesia does not yet have the capacity to explore, inventory, and study of its microbial resources,
an international collaboration, therefore, would be needed for that purpose. In this context, collaboration research activities withother countries had been developed on the scheme of CBD to conserve and preserve microbes.
In collaboration with IMI (International Mycology Institute) from April 1994 to March 1996, 6 fungal taxonomist and 22staffs have been train to isolate, identify, and preserve microorganisms. The aim of this collaboration is to enhance the LIPIMicrobial Collection (LIPIMC) to help put in a position to support the ex situ conservation and maintenance of representativeIndonesian Microbial Diversity. This collaboration awarded the Darwin Initiative funding to facilitate collection, identification andexploitation of local microbial diversity. The activities were focused on the collection of fermented foods and 400 freshly isolated
fungi have been added to the collection.
In collaboration with LIPI, BPPT, and NEDO/JBA from April 1997-March 2000, the diversity of economic important
bacteria, acetic acid bacteria and lactic acid bacteria, in natural resources have been studied and preserved in culture collection inLIPI. Results of a number of studies revealed the high diversity of these two groups as evidence by the identification of two new
genera in acetic acid bacteria, Asaia gen. nov and Kozakia gen. nov., as well as 7 new species of acetic acid bacteria. Regarding thelactic acid bacteria, a number of species had been identified and these species are of important in traditional fermentation as well as
in silage making. Around 100 isolates of acetic acid bacteria and 200 isolates of lactic acid bacteria have been collected, wellidentified, and well preserved.
Through 9 intensive meetings (about 2½ years) collaboration with LIPI-NITE on the taxonomical and ecological studyof fungi and actinomycetes in Indonesia (April 2003-March 2009) and characterization of oil degrading microbes isolated fromIndonesian environments (April 2006-March 2009) have been conducted. During 6 years activities, significantly achievement interm of the number of economic important collection, man power development, number of international publications had revealed.
From this collaboration more than 7,500 of fungi, actinomycetes, and oil degrading microbes have been collected, well identified,and well preserved. In the next 5 years (FY2011-FY2016), again, LIPI with NBRC-NITE is continuing the collaboration for theDevelopment of International Standardized of Microbial Resources Center in Indonesia. This collaboration is very important andthe collaboration should success as before.
During and after the collaboration between LIPI and NITE, many Indonesian researchers from government institutions
or universities would like to access the microbes collected from the results of collaboration research. Several research activities in
LIPI with collaboration with university in Japan or not have been conducted on screening and discovery of new or known enzymes
from the isolates. As the results of screening of 100 actinomycetes from the LIPI-NITE collaboration, an actinomycete that excretes
inulin fructotransferase to the culture supernatant was able to produce di-D-fructofuranose 1,2′:2,3′ dianhydride (DFA III) frominulin, with the greatest rate of enzyme activity at 65°C and at a pH of 5.5. Screening of manannase, cellulose, xylanase also havebeen conducted by LIPI researchers. Some isolates also were tested for inhibition of ATPase activity of RNA helicase fromJapanese encephalitis virus (JEV) or hepatitis virus, in order to identify a drug candidate.
Unfortunately, the Indonesian private sectors has not undertaken microbial or biotechnological work such as screening ofactive compounds or discovery of new active compounds from microbial collection, but Indonesian researchers at many
universities and governmental research institutions have approached it. Attempts to improve the microbial strains used in agriculture,
food, health, and energy industries have had some success, but still no impact on industries. In Indonesia, almost fundamental
research activities are conducted by and taking place in government of government sponsored research institutions and university
via the provision of facilities, funding, and the man power that sometimes still lack. The private sectors, in general, due to their lackof entrepreneurship and limited research budget allocation do not have any role or interest in doing any long-term or fundamentalresearch.
LIPI, as a scientific authority in Indonesia, had commitment to continue the inventory of microbial genetic resources inIndonesia which is important to human welfare. Attempt should be made to collaborate with private sectors in Indonesia to conduct
fundamental researches until the microbial product have impact to industry. In the near future, it is believed that with collaboration
with research institutions, universities, private companies, etc, the sustainable use of the microbial collection will give the great
impact to human welfare.