International Moss Stock Center

The International Moss Stock Center ( IMSC ) is an international biobank ( Cryobank ) for mosses. It is used for collection, storage and distribution of samples of various mosses for scientific purposes. With the release of the fully sequenced genome of Physcomitrella patens in 2008 was an increasing need for a central organization of the different samples, so that the IMSC was established at the Albert -Ludwigs- University of Freiburg in February 2010. The procedure for sample preservation was developed almost ten years earlier as part of a cooperation between BASF and the Department of Plant Biotechnology, University of Freiburg.

The collection of the IMSC includes various ecotypes of Physcomitrella patens, and Funaria Physcomitrium ( Funariaceae ) and some transgenic strains and mutants of Physcomitrella patens, including knockout mosses.

Liquid nitrogen are moss samples at the IMSC in special freezer containers at -135 ° C cryopreserved in the gas phase. The regeneration rate of P. patens under these conditions at 100 %. All sample identification numbers are assigned in the storage automatically, which can be cited in publications. A barcode system allows quick access to samples and associated information.

The IMSC is supported by the Department of Plant Biotechnology, Albert- Ludwigs- University of Freiburg under Professor Reski and the Centre for Biological Signalling Studies ( bioss ).