title: Genetic stability of ectomycorrhizal fungi is not affected by cryopreservation at -130 °C or cold storage with repeated sub-cultivations over a period of 2 years.
abstract: Cryopreservation is considered the most reliable method for storage of filamentous fungi including ectomycorrhizal (ECM) fungi. A number of studies, however, have reported genetic changes in fungus cultures following cryopreservation. In the present study, the genetic stability of six ECM fungus isolates was analyzed using amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP). The isolates were preserved for 2 years either by cryopreservation (at -130 °C) or by storage at 4 °C with regular sub-cultivation. A third preservation treatment consisting of isolates maintained on Petri dishes at 22-23 °C for 2 years (i.e., without any sub-cultivation) was included and used as a control. The differences observed in AFLP patterns between the three preservation methods remained within the range of the total error generated by the AFLP procedure (6.85%). Therefore, cryopreservation at -130 °C and cold storage with regular sub-cultivation did not affect the genetic stability of the ECM fungus isolates, and both methods can be used for the routine storage of ECM fungus isolates over a period of 2 years.
authors.affiliation: Earth and Life Institute, Applied Microbiology, Mycology, Université catholique de Louvain, Croix du Sud 2, bte L7.05.06, 1348, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium.
authors.forename: Charlotte
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Crahay
authors.affiliation: Earth and Life Institute, Applied Microbiology, Phytopathology, Université catholique de Louvain, Croix du Sud 2, bte L7.05.03, 1348, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium.
authors.forename: Françoise
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Munaut
authors.affiliation: Center for Environmental Sciences, Environmental Biology Group, Universiteit Hasselt, Agoralaan, Gebouw D, 3590, Diepenbeek, Belgium.
authors.forename: Jan V
authors.initials: JV
authors.lastname: Colpaert
authors.affiliation: Earth and Life Institute, Applied Microbiology, Mycology, Université catholique de Louvain, Mycothèque de l'Université catholique de Louvain (MUCL), Croix du Sud 2, box L7.05.06, 1348, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium.
authors.forename: Stéphanie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Huret
authors.affiliation: Earth and Life Institute, Applied Microbiology, Mycology, Université catholique de Louvain, Croix du Sud 2, bte L7.05.06, 1348, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium. stephan.declerck@uclouvain.be.
authors.forename: Stéphane
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Declerck
mesh_terms: D054458:Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphism Analysis; D015925:Cryopreservation; D042822:Genomic Instability; D038821:Mycorrhizae / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification*
keywords: AFLP; Cryopreservation; Ectomycorrhizal fungi; Genetic stability