Center for Forest Mycology Research
FS-FPL-4501
Culture Collection
The Reference Culture Collection at the Center for Forest Mycology Research
is one of the largest assemblages of primarily Basidiomycetous fungi in
the world, containing about 12,000 isolates representing about 1,500 species.
Approximately 3,500 cultures are haploid isolates.
Mycologists at CFMR continuously collect new cultures of wood decay fungi as they conduct research on
fungal biodiversity throughout the world. These fungi are brought back
to the Forest Products Laboratory and identified by experts who specialize
in particular groups of organisms (i.e. corticioid fungi, polypores,
and agarics). Cultures of the freshly collected fruiting bodies are
made from spores, fungal tissue, or both. DNA can be extracted from
the living cultures and studied using techniques from molecular biology.
Polymerase chain reaction (PCR), restriction fragment length polymorphisms
(RFLPs), and DNA sequencing are used to study the relationships among
and between groups of fungi. Haploid cultures are used in crossing experiments
to learn about the genetics of the fungi.
Information about the cultures is catalogued in an electronic database.
Cultures are then frozen under controlled conditions and maintained
in liquid nitrogen to minimize genetic change and maximize longevity.
A second set of "working" cultures is maintained at 4 C in sterile distilled
water.
The Culture Collection Catalogue can be searched by clicking
here:
The fungi in the culture collection serve many purposes:
- Mycologists around the world who work on the classification of wood-inhabiting
fungi may obtain cultures from CFMR for inclusion in their studies.
By expanding their sample size, researchers can make better decisions
on species relationships and limits.
- DNA sequences from our known cultures can be used to identify unknown
decay fungi of concern to forest pathologists and ecologists. Many
of our cultures have dried fruiting bodies associated with them so
their identification is more accurate than would be found with sequences
from unknown sources that are available from GenBank and other internet
databases.
- Scientists interested in biotechnological applications can obtain
our cultures for their research. Wood-decay fungi are being studied
as agents of biological pulping to break down lignin prior to application
of chemical pulping agents in the paper industry. They are also being
used for bioremediation for the breakdown of toxic pollutants in the
soil, including dioxins and other organic hydrocarbons.
- Wood decay fungi are also a potential source of pharmaceuticals,
including cancer-fight agents. Pharmaceutical companies have screened
some of our fungi for their ability to produce chemicals that may
be of use in medicine or other processes. Many opportunities exist
for further work in this area.
How to Obtain Cultures:
Small numbers of cultures are given to researchers at no charge as a professional
service. Industrial users are encouraged to purchase equivalent cultures
through the American Type Culture Collection; we do not compete with private
concerns. In some situations, we have entered into collection agreements
with pharmaceutical companies that were interested in screening large
numbers of our cultures to locate organisms with unique medicinal or biotechnological
properties. Such agreements are still available. Please contact Daniel Lindner (608-231-9511), Culture Collection Director, to obtain or deposit cultures in the CFMR culture collection. |