The ARSEF
Culture Collection
and
Its Associated Services
IMPORTANT NOTE: A summary discussion of the recent
and significant phylogenetically based revisions of the taxonomy of the
majority of fungal entomopathogens is included in the introductory material in
each of the catalogs of ARSEF isolates available here. The same discussion is
also available online at the website of the Society for Invertebrate
Pathology.
History and purpose of the collection
Identifying and Acknowledging ARSEF Strains in Publications
Updated, Special, and Electronic Catalogs
Depositing and Exchanging Cultures
Diagnostic Services for Cultures and Specimens
Release of ARSEF Cultures from Containment or Quarantine
Ordering
Information
Catalogs of USDA-ARS Culture Collection
Ordering Cultures from ARSEF and Need for USDA Permits
Academic, Government, and Other Nonprofit Institutions
Commercial and Industrial Institutions
Terms of Shipment
Contacting ARSEF Staff
The Cultures Arrived! Now What Do I Do?
Reviving Lyophilized ARSEF Isolates
This is a one-page guide about how to revive freeze-dried isolates sent by ARSEF, and how to understand the labels on these ampules and serum bottles.
Recipes for Commonly Used Culture Media
A collection of recipes and guidelines about the solid and liquid media most frequently used at ARSEF, including the media on which your fungi were shipped as well as recipes of some other media that might be useful for culturing various entomopathogenic fungi. If you need recipes for media that are not included here, please feel free to contact the Curator for them.
[compiled
29 October 2009]
These catalog files are in the Adobe Acrobat
(PDF) format
readable with the Adobe Acrobat Reader (vers. 9)
which is available free of charge.
NOTE: These catalogs incorporate the
latest, phylogenetic revisions of the taxonomy that have affected the great
majority of fungal entomopathogens. These changes are most notable for the
teleomorphic (sexual) and anamorphic (conidial) stages of ascomycete fungi from
the Hypocreales. The recent reclassification of the family Clavicipitaceae into
three families (Clavicipitaceae, Cordycipitaceae and Ophiocordycipitaceae), the
segregation of Cordyceps into new
genera distributed among these three families, and the complete reworking of
the taxonomies of Verticillium
section Prostrata and of Paecilomyces section Isarioidea, as well as the more recent
(and ongoing) multigenic phylogenetically based reclassifications of Beauveria and Metarhizium are included here to the most current extent possible.
Changes in the identifications of ARSEF isolates are being updated in ARSEF
records as soon as the information becomes available, so is it advisable to search ARSEF online for the current identification of isolates
from genera whose taxonomies are changing.
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CURRENT CATALOG (COMPLETE/fully
indexed) |
Catalog.pdf
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458 pages; 2.4 Mb |
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The complete, indexed ARSEF catalog in a single file |
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Indices (COMPLETE)
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Indices.pdf
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202 pages; 1.2 Mb |
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The complete set of all five separate indices in
a single file |
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Special
ARSEF Catalogs
These special catalogs are complete and indexed subsets of ARSEF accessions for our most commonly requested isolates.
Updated:
29 October 2009
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Beauveria.pdf |
114 pages; 807 Kb |
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Entomophthorales.pdf |
93 pages; 770 Kb |
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Metarhizium.pdf |
108 pages; 758 Kb |
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Isaria.pdf |
66 pages; 651 Kb |
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| Lecanicillium.pdf |
57 pages; 627 Kb |
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| Trichos.pdf |
27 pages; 446 Kb |
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Lepidoptera.pdf |
89 pages; 758 Kb |
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HemiptThysanopt.pdf |
42 pages; 545 Kb |
Acknowledgments
The body and indices of this catalog are
reproduced in Adobe Acrobat¨ format direct output from a customized ACIUS 4th Dimension¨
application customized for all aspects of recordkeeping by the ARSEF culture
collection. This database application was originally designed by Timothy S.
Larkin, whose skill and patience collection has immeasurably benefitted both
the ARSEF collection and its clientele.
History
and Purpose of the ARSEF Collection
The goal of the ARS Collection of Entomopathogenic
Fungal Cultures (ARSEF) is to provide fundamental support for basic and applied
research on the fungal pathogens of invertebrates. Since its establishment in
the early 1970s, this collection has served as a general research resource for
the isolation, collection, preservation, and distribution of fungal strains
from insects, other arthropods, and nematodes. Emphasis has always been placed
on acquiring and distributing strains under active study for use as potential
biological control agents. Basic research associated with the collection
includes fungal systematics, fungal cytology, pathobiology, and methodology for
fungal cryopreservation. The culture collection and its associated collection
of microscope slides and herbarium specimens provide invaluable support for
taxonomic research on and the diagnoses of fungal pathogens of invertebrates.
Identification services for specimens and cultures have always been available
free of charge to any laboratories requesting them.
We strive to provide users with pure and accurately
identified fungal cultures., and the taxonomies applied to the fungi in this
collection are continuously updated to reflect their current accepted
classifications. The curator of the collection welcomes all correspondence
about nomenclatural or taxonomic changes or possible misidentifications
involving any ARSEF strains.
The ARSEF collection began as Richard SoperÕs
research collection in the USDA-ARS laboratory at the University of Maine
(Orono; UMO) where its cultures were at initially designated by a UMO or RS
prefix before adopting ARSEF in 1985. In 1978, the ARS Insect Pathology
Research Unit relocated to Ithaca, NY, to work with the Boyce Thompson
Institute (BTI) on the Cornell University campus. The Insect Pathology Research
Unit became the Plant Protection Research Unit (PPRU) in 1985, and was renamed
in 2008 as the Biological Integrated Pest Management Research Unit (BioIPM).
The ARSEF collection moved from BTI in 1990 into the US Plant, Soil &
Nutrition Laboratory which was rededicated in 2008 as the Robert W. Holley
Center for Agriculture & Health to commemorate Dr. HolleyÕs work there to
complete the first sequencing of any nucleic acid; he received the 1968 Nobel Prize for Medicine or Physiology
for this work.
BioIPM operates the ARSEF culture collection for
the USDA Agricultural Research Service; the collection is not now and has never
been owned or controlled by the Boyce Thompson Institute. ARSEF is one of the
largest germplasm collections in the ARS, and is widely recognized for its
active support of research on fungal pathogens of invertebrates. ARSEF and its
associated herbarium are registered under the ARSEF acronym sinced 1985 with
the World Federation of Culture CollectionsÕ World Data Center on Microorganisms and the International
Association of Plant TaxonomistsÕ Index Herbariorum, respectively.
From 1977 through 2008, all strains in the
collection were preserved by immersion in liquid nitrogen. A program to
lyophilize those isolates that could tolerate such was begun in the 1990Õs, and
has expanded in scope and pace. At the end of 2008 the vast majority of the colletion
was consolidated in a single large nitrogen dewar in a new facility adjacent to
the current building. Requests for cultures are filled with either actively
growing cultures on appropriate media or, if available, as freeze-dried units.
Identifying
and Acknowledging ARSEF Strains in Publications
We request that all publications using or
referring to strains obtained from ARSEF acknowledge the U.S. Department of Agriculture,
ARS Plant Protection Research Unit and state the ARSEF accession numbers of
these strains. We would very greatly appreciate receiving reprints of all past,
current, and future publications or even periodic notification about research
in progress involving the use of ARSEF strains.
Accession numbers of strains from commercial
culture collections such as the American Type Culture Collection (ATCC), Centraalbureau
voor Schimmelcultures (CBS), CAB International Mycological Institute (IMI), and
other registered general service collections are listed in this catalog to
provide complete information about specific isolates. Representation of cultures
obtained from ARSEF as being from ATCC, CBS, IMI or UAMH or other general
service culture collections violates trademark laws, and persons doing so are
subject to prosecution. Cultures received from ARSEF should be referred
to by their ARSEF numbers only even if they are co-deposited in other other
culture collections.
Updated,
Special, and Electronic Catalogs
Complimentary copies of the ARSEF database and/or
the customized application used to manage it can be obtained upon consultation
with the curator of the ARSEF collection.
A fully interactive, searchable version of ARSEF
culture accession data is available at this web site. If you cannot complete
particular specialized searches using this online search function, please
submit your request by email to the Curator of this
collection.
Depositing
and Exchanging Cultures
BioIPM and ARSEF encourage deposition of entomopathogenic
fungal cultures in the ARSEF collection–particularly strains used in
published studies–and of voucher and reference specimens to its
herbarium. Depositors may reserve the right to limit redistribution of any
culture deposited with ARSEF for specified times upon consultation with the
curator. Depositors can receive subcultures of their own depositions at any
time; these cultures do not affect any allowances of free cultures. Exchanges
of cultures between ARSEF and other research or general collections of fungal
cultures are encouraged and are not subject to numerical limits.
Prior to shipping cultures from countries outside
the United States contact the Curator to obtain the appropriate
needed importation permit from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Animal and
Plant Health Inspection Services, Plant Protection and Quarantine.
When sending cultures and/or specimens to ARSEF, it
is very important to include as much of the following information as possible:
Scientific
name (and taxonomic authority) of the fungus.
Common
and scientific name (with taxonomic authority) of the host.
Order and
family of the host. (This is essential information!)
Date and
site of collection.
Name of collector.
Date and
name of isolator.
Any
collection, accession, or other identifier number(s) applied by the collector
or sender.
Medium on
which a culture is sent.
Any
special requirements or conditions for growth (such as medium, temperature,
pH).
Diagnostic
Services for Cultures and Specimens
Specimens and cultures of unidentified fungi
from invertebrates can be submitted to ARSEF for diagnosis. This service is an
important function of the ARS Collections of Entomopathogenic Fungi and is
provided without charge. Identifications and information about the disposition
of specimens will be provided to the sender as quickly as possible.
Release
of ARSEF Cultures from Containment or Quarantine
Neither the curator nor any employee of
ARSEF or of the Plant Protection Research Unit is entitled to authorize the
release of any culture it provides from laboratory containment or quarantine in
the United States or elsewhere. Recipients of ARSEF cultures are responsible
for obtaining all appropriate and necessary permissions from or for providing
official notifications to State and Federal regulatory agencies.
Ordering
Cultures from ARSEF, and Need for USDA Permits
All requests for isolates should be sent by
electronic mail to the Curator, by telephone: to [+1]-607-255-1276, by
fax: to [+1]-607-255-1132, or by mail to the Curator, ARS Collection of Entomopathogenic
Fungal Cultures, Robert W. Holley Center for Agriculture & Health, Tower
Rd., Ithaca, NY 14853-2901. Please be sure that incoming requests for isolates
also include complete contact information for the recipient: complete mailing
address, email, phone, and fax numbers. Please note that deliveries by express
courier service, if this is the recipient's preferred means of shipment, cannot
be made to post boxes; a street address is required for such deliveries.
If at all possible, recipients of cultures from
outside the United States are requested to communicate with the Curator about
providing an account number with an established courier service such as Federal
Express (FedEx), DHL, etc. to expedite shipments and clearance through
quarantine and customs in the receiving country. Wherever possible the ARSEF
Collection requests recipients to bear the costs of shipping in order to
continue providing the sorts of services being provided.
Important note for U.S. customers: It is
necessary for recipients of ARSEF cultures to arrange for any required
regulatory permits to authorize the receipt of desired cultures from the ARSEF
collection. The preferred way to obtain the needed USDA-APHIS Form 526,
Application and Permit to Move Live Plant Pests or Noxious Weeds, is through
the online ePermits system.
Academic,
Government, and Other Nonprofit Institutions:
1-5
isolates [up to 7 isolates per calendar year] no
charge
>6
per order [or >8 per calendar year] US$50
per strain
Users from nonprofit institutions can receive up to
five isolates without charge in any 6 month period, and up to seven cultures
in any calendar year. Requests in excess of these limits will be charged at
the rate of US$50 per additional isolate requested.
Requests
from commercially sponsored research programs undertaken by nonprofit institutions
are charged
at the commercial rate and are not subject to numerical limits.
Prices
are subject to change without notice.
Commercial
and Industrial Institutions:
US$75 per
strain
Nonprofit institutions working on
commercially sponsored contractual projects (such as screening
programs)
are charged at the rate of US$75 per strain requested. There
are no limits on the numbers of cultures that can be
requested or
shipped.
Commercial or industrial firms supporting research
at the ARS Plant Protection Research Unit are entitled to
free access to
cultures pertinent to contracted projects; all other requests are charged at
the current rate.
Prices
are subject to change without notice.
Isolates will not be pulled from storage to prepare
for shipment until it any required permits to receive fungi have been provided,
or any questions about shipping needs and methods agreed upon between the
recipient and ARSEF staff.
Any billings for isolates are issued through the
Boyce Thompson Institute for Plant Research, Inc.. We encourage prepayment for
isolates. Checks or money orders for strains must be made out to the Boyce
Thompson Institute but sent directly to the curator of the ARS Collections of Entomopathogenic
Fungi.
Consult the curator of the collections with
questions about fees due for any particular shipment. Recipients of isolates in
locations outside the United States are encouraged to provide express courier
(FedEx, DHL, etc.) account numbers at the time of placing a request so that (1)
the fastest and most secure shipping method allowing continuous tracking and
the most expeditious clearance of quarantine and customs in the receiving
country is available, and (2) the cost of shipping of automatically billed to
the recipient. Shipments leaving the United States will be made by
international airmail services unless arrangements for express courier service
are made.
We request confirmation of receipt and viability of
cultures shipped. Strains that are inviable upon receipt will be replaced.
ARSEF reserves the right to refuse to ship strains:
- to
recipients who cannot handle them with standard microbiological practices,
- to
laboratories that cannot assure laboratory containment of isolates
except after
obtaining permissions
from applicable
State and Federal regulatory agencies,
- if use of
routine mailing or shipping services
cannot assure the receipt of viable cultures.
Neither ARSEF, the ARS Plant Protection Research
Unit, the Boyce Thompson Institute nor any staff of these institutions shall be
held liable for damages arising from the misidentification of any isolates.
Richard A. Humber, Curator / Insect Mycologist
USDA-ARS Biological
IPM Research Unit
Robert W. Holley
Center for Agriculture and Health
Tower Rd.
Ithaca,
New York 14853-2901
Phone: (607) 255-1276
Fax: (607) 255-1132
Email: richard.humber@ars.usda.gov or rah3@cornell.edu