The collection of nocardioform and coryneform bacteria, a part of UNCM, was established in the Department of Physiology of Industrial Micro-organisms of the Institute of Microbiology and Virology, and was based on the collection of nocardioform bacteria of O.A. Nesterenko. The collection was begun in 1970 to facilitate study of the ecology and physiology of hydrocarbon-oxidizing bacteria isolated from soils polluted by oil in various climatic zones in Ukraine. Among micro-organisms responsible for oxidizing hydrocarbons, bacteria of the actinomycete genus Rhodococcus are among of the most important. Increased research activity in the taxonomy of nocardioform bacteria and the phylogenetically close coryneform bacteria made it necessity to enhance our microbial gene bank with collections and fresh isolates from different natural substrata. At present the collection consists of about 600 cultures. Of these, 350 strains of 17 genera and 53 species (including 48 type strains) are maintained on guarantee. The bulk of the collection is of nocardioform bacteria Rhodococcus, Gordona and Dietzia; among coryneform bacteria Arthrobacter, Corynebacterium and Brevibacterium are best represented. The collection includes very valuable strains producing biologically active substances (amino-acids, nucleotides, enzymes) and hydrocarbon decomposers. A computerized database has been established for the collection, containing data on strain origin, methods of isolation, cultural conditions, morphological, cultural, physiological and chemotaxonomical signs, and biological activity. A catalogue of the strains maintained in the collection was compiled and the index was published. Sections of the nocardioform collection were described using number ciphers of RKC-code; models of passport information were prepared for these micro-organisms. The collection has a continuing research programme, and carries out skilled maintenance and constant revision of the systematic position of cultures in the collection. New taxa are accessed whenever possible, and a consultancy service is available to provide advice on isolation, identification, biological features of strains.