Culture collections as Microbial Biological Resource Centres (mBRCs): role, functions, services and quality management systems. Main regulations affecting the use of microbial resources. Methods of preservation and recovery of eukaryotic and prokaryotic microorganisms (bacteria, fungi, and yeasts). Purity, viability, and authenticity testing, preparation of working strains and stock cultures and standardised inoculum. Classical microbiological techniques for phenotypic and physiological characterisation, molecular techniques based on nucleic acids, protein profiles, fatty acids, etc.