#Japan #Tokyo #NEDO #NITE #Microbial Database

New Integrated Database for Microbial Species Searches

In a groundbreaking development for the scientific community in Japan, the National Institute of Technology and Evaluation (NITE) has launched the first integrated database that allows researchers to search for microbial species based on their specific characteristics. This initiative, part of the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO) project aimed at accelerating the realization of carbon recycling through the development of bio-derived production technologies, promises to significantly reduce the workload on researchers and speed up the establishment of smart cells.

Background of the Initiative

The production of bio-based products faces many challenges, primarily due to bottlenecks from raw materials to end products. To tackle this, there is a growing interest in utilizing 'smart cells'—biological cells that have been enhanced to maximize their production capabilities. Efficiently selecting the right microorganisms that meet specific production conditions and desired substances is crucial for the development of these smart cells. Traditionally, researchers had to navigate through multiple databases to find various trait information such as optimal cultivation temperature, pH levels, and oxygen requirements, which was time-consuming and burdensome.

In response to these challenges, NEDO has been working on expanding bio-resources and developing foundational technologies for searching these resources since 2020. This includes collaborating with NITE to improve the efficiency of microbial searches through a newly developed database.

Newly Developed Microbial Selection Support Tool

The recently developed microbe selection support tool integrates data from five major international databases, encompassing approximately 67,000 strains of microorganisms. These include key resources such as the NBRC Online Catalog, JCM Online Catalog, JGI GOLD, BV-BRC, and TEMPURA. The data focuses on seven critical characteristics relevant to microbial growth, allowing researchers to conduct searches in Japanese based on trait information. Notably, this integrated database is the first of its kind in Japan.

For improved visualization, features have been added that display the distribution of cultivation temperatures and pH levels through histograms, while also showing the number of search results in real-time for a more intuitive user experience. This database promises to enable researchers to efficiently investigate microorganisms with specific characteristics like cultivation temperature, pH, oxygen requirements, and halophilicity.

Public Release of the Tool

As of February 2026, the microbial selection support tool has been made publicly accessible on the biological resource data platform (DBRP) managed by NITE. This tool aims to empower researchers in Japan to more easily search for microorganisms with relevant traits from a global perspective. For those interested, the database can be accessed here.

Future Plans

Moving forward, NEDO and NITE plan to enhance the features of this database based on user feedback and needs. They aim to ensure that researchers can effectively explore the microbial species necessary for constructing smart cells, thereby facilitating Japan's continued advancements in biotechnology and bio-manufacturing.

For any inquiries about this initiative, please contact the Smart Cell Team at NEDO or the Biotechnology Center at NITE via the details provided in this release.