RESUMO
Eighty-nine Actinomycetes strains were tested for their viability, morphological and physiological characteristics after being kept under paraffin oil overlay and distilled water for a period between 10-30 years. Most of the studied strains belong to the "Lorenzo De Montemayor" collection. Almost all the recovered strains were 28-30 years old and had never been subcultured since the paraffin oil was overlaid. 71.4% of viable Streptomycetes strains had been kept on Sabouraud-dextrose agar and 28.6% were kept on Negroni and Bonfiglioli-medium. Streptomyces violaceusruber produced its characteristic pigment even after 28 years under these conditions. All of the recovered strains were tested for their biological activity, but only Streptomyces lavendulae showed growth-inhibition against Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus subtilis.