Collections of the CEF
Several CFR researchers have amassed important collections of many types. These collections are the result of many years of scientific research in forest biology and ecology. For some, they represent an important source of microbial strains from a variety of conditions; for others, they are an important legacy of research.
Here is the list of CFR's collections as well as a brief description for each one. For all internal or external requests, please contact André Gagné.
Some helpful culture media recipes 
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Mycorrhizal fungi
Spores of AM fungi
Yves Piché and Damase Khasa have created this large collection of ectomycorrhizal (ECM) and arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi with transformed roots, which are necessary for in vitro culture of AM fungi. Mycorrhizal fungi play a crucial role in the growth and survival of forest trees by enhancing nutrient acquisition, drought tolerance, and host pathogen resistance. In return, the autotrophic hosts provide the necessary fixed-carbon, in the form of sugars produced by photosynthesis, to their heterotrophic fungal partners. The mutualism created between the fungal symbiont and plant root produces distinctive structures, making it possible to discern what kind of mycorrhizas are present. Smith and Read (1997)[1] have described seven types of associations: vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizas, ectomycorrhizas, and ectendomycorrhizas, together with mycorrhizas of the arbutoid, monotropoid, orchid and ericoid types.
List of the different collections
- List of vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal strains.
- List of ectomycorrhizal fungal strains.
- List of ericoid mycorrhizal fungal strains.
- List of transformed roots for in vitro culture of vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi.
- List of symbiotic bacteria.
Identification of Glomeromycota
Data for morphological and molecular identification of vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal will be available shortly. Research is currently underway.
ARBOREA cDNA and EST[2] Librairies
Enriched bacterial clones
Project ARBOREA, under the direction of John Mackay and Jean Bousquet, has produced 41 different cDNA libraries and sequenced random clones from various tissues of white spruce (Picea glauca) (nearly 100K) and hybrid poplar (Populus trichocarpa x P. deltoides) (nearly 14K). Sequences have been analysed and released; a sequence database has been developed and implemented.
For more information, and to take a look at the libraries, please visit the ARBOREA website.
Plant pathogenic fungi
Forest pathology is devoted to the study and control of diseases that affect forest plant species and their populations. The organisms that are most likely to initiate disease are of three types: fungi, bacteria, and viruses. Fungi cause the principal diseases seen in forest trees. The plant pathology lab of Louis Bernier curates a large variety of pathogenic fungal species. The collection most notably includes several species of Ceratocystis (causative agents of blue stain and oak wilt), as well as Ophiostoma ulmi and O. novo-ulmi (agents of Dutch elm disease).
References
- [1] Smith S.E. & Read D.J. 1997. Mycorrhizal symbiosis (2nd ed.). Academic Press, New York, 605 pp.
- [2] Expressed sequence tag .
