International Moss Stock Center
Encyclopedia
The International Moss Stock Center (IMSC), located at the Albert-Ludwigs-University of Freiburg, is an international resource center (a biobank
) which is specialized in collecting, preserving and distributing moss
plants of a high value of scientific research.
collection of the IMSC includes various ecotypes of Physcomitrella patens
, Physcomitrium and Funaria
as well as several transgenic and mutant
lines of Physcomitrella patens
, including knockout mosses.
samples in the IMSC is carried out via cryopreservation
in the gas phase of liquid nitrogen
at temperatures below -135°C in special freezer containers.
It has been shown for Physcomitrella patens
that the regeneration rate after cryopreservation
is 100 %.
Trackable accession numbers
which may be used for citation
purposes in
publication
s are automatically assigned to all samples.
and the Centre for Biological Signalling Studies (bioss).
Biobank
A biobank is a cryogenic storage facility used to archive biological samples for use in research and experiments. Ranging in size from individual refrigerators to warehouses, biobanks are maintained by institutions such as hospitals, universities, nonprofit organizations, and pharmaceutical...
) which is specialized in collecting, preserving and distributing moss
Moss
Mosses are small, soft plants that are typically 1–10 cm tall, though some species are much larger. They commonly grow close together in clumps or mats in damp or shady locations. They do not have flowers or seeds, and their simple leaves cover the thin wiry stems...
plants of a high value of scientific research.
Moss collection
The mossMoss
Mosses are small, soft plants that are typically 1–10 cm tall, though some species are much larger. They commonly grow close together in clumps or mats in damp or shady locations. They do not have flowers or seeds, and their simple leaves cover the thin wiry stems...
collection of the IMSC includes various ecotypes of Physcomitrella patens
Physcomitrella patens
Physcomitrella patens is a moss used as a model organism for studies on plant evolution, development and physiology.-Model organism:...
, Physcomitrium and Funaria
Funaria (moss)
Funaria is a genus of approximately 200 species of moss. Funaria hygrometrica is the most common species. Funaria hygrometrica is called “cord moss” because of the twisted seta which is very hygroscopic and untwists when moist...
as well as several transgenic and mutant
Mutant
In biology and especially genetics, a mutant is an individual, organism, or new genetic character, arising or resulting from an instance of mutation, which is a base-pair sequence change within the DNA of a gene or chromosome of an organism resulting in the creation of a new character or trait not...
lines of Physcomitrella patens
Physcomitrella patens
Physcomitrella patens is a moss used as a model organism for studies on plant evolution, development and physiology.-Model organism:...
, including knockout mosses.
Storage conditions
The long-term storage of mossMoss
Mosses are small, soft plants that are typically 1–10 cm tall, though some species are much larger. They commonly grow close together in clumps or mats in damp or shady locations. They do not have flowers or seeds, and their simple leaves cover the thin wiry stems...
samples in the IMSC is carried out via cryopreservation
Cryopreservation
Cryopreservation is a process where cells or whole tissues are preserved by cooling to low sub-zero temperatures, such as 77 K or −196 °C . At these low temperatures, any biological activity, including the biochemical reactions that would lead to cell death, is effectively stopped...
in the gas phase of liquid nitrogen
Nitrogen
Nitrogen is a chemical element that has the symbol N, atomic number of 7 and atomic mass 14.00674 u. Elemental nitrogen is a colorless, odorless, tasteless, and mostly inert diatomic gas at standard conditions, constituting 78.08% by volume of Earth's atmosphere...
at temperatures below -135°C in special freezer containers.
It has been shown for Physcomitrella patens
Physcomitrella patens
Physcomitrella patens is a moss used as a model organism for studies on plant evolution, development and physiology.-Model organism:...
that the regeneration rate after cryopreservation
Cryopreservation
Cryopreservation is a process where cells or whole tissues are preserved by cooling to low sub-zero temperatures, such as 77 K or −196 °C . At these low temperatures, any biological activity, including the biochemical reactions that would lead to cell death, is effectively stopped...
is 100 %.
Trackable accession numbers
Accession number (bioinformatics)
An accession number in bioinformatics is a unique identifier given to a DNA or protein sequence record to allow for tracking of different versions of that sequence record and the associated sequence over time in a single data repository...
which may be used for citation
Citation
Broadly, a citation is a reference to a published or unpublished source . More precisely, a citation is an abbreviated alphanumeric expression Broadly, a citation is a reference to a published or unpublished source (not always the original source). More precisely, a citation is an abbreviated...
purposes in
publication
Publication
To publish is to make content available to the public. While specific use of the term may vary among countries, it is usually applied to text, images, or other audio-visual content on any medium, including paper or electronic publishing forms such as websites, e-books, Compact Discs and MP3s...
s are automatically assigned to all samples.
Financial support
The IMSC is supported financially by the Chair Plant Biotechnology of Prof. Ralf ReskiRalf Reski
Ralf Reski is a German Professor of Plant Biotechnology and former Dean of the Faculty of Biology of the University of Freiburg...
and the Centre for Biological Signalling Studies (bioss).