UCL
Total :
Investigators :
Freddy DEVILLEZ devillez@efor.ucl.ac.be
Tel (32) 10 47 37 29
Laurence NIQUET niquet@efor.ucl.ac.be
Tel (32) 10 47 37 07
Conifers
Somatic embryogenesis
Transgenic tissues
The research group "Biotechnology of coni-fers" has for principal aim to develop new technologies in order to improve genetically forest trees and principally the productivity of seed orchards of Picea abies (Norway spruce) and Pseudotsuga menziesii. The principal technique used is somatic embryo-genesis. This in vitro method of vegetative multiplication allows to initiate an embryo-genic mass from a somatic cell (not germi-nal) of juvenile tissues as zygotic embryos or cotyledons. This embryogenic mass is com-posed of several immature embryos and can be multiplied indefinitely on a proliferation medium containing growth regulators. A special procedure allows to produce plants from this embryogenic mass. This tissue represents also the ideal target for gene transfer. Genetic engineering not only

represents a powerful tool to understand fundamental processes of tree development but also leads to improving certain features of forest trees such as disease resistance, early flowering or wood quality. Recently, a procedure of genetic transformation by bombardment of microparticles has been developed in our laboratory and allowed to produce the first transgenic plants of Norway spruce.
Although somatic embryogenesis is an effi-cient system of regeneration, it has the dis-advantage of causing, in certain cases, ge-netic deviations called somaclonal varia-tions. This problem could appear when em-bryogenic masses are maintained on prolif-eration mediums during a too long period. In order to prevent such phenomena, the different embryonic masses are cryopre-served as soon as they are produced.
We have also developed this cryopreserva-tion procedure for our somatic embryos in liquid nitrogen because it's important to conserve the multiplication and regenerative capacities of our cellular lines, transgenic or not. In addition, this tool gives a new opportunity to increase by 20-30 years the vegetative multiplication of conifer species which was traditionally done by cuttings. It's now possible to control the characteristics of different clones during several years and then retrieve the best clones after sev-eral years in order to multiply them.
Conservation of genetic material potentially interesting for forestry production. Gene bank for endangered species and va-rieties in forestry.
Programmable freezer (Planer 10/16)
Cryotanks (30 to 70 liters)

DURAN V., 1991. Etude de diverses phases de l'embryogenèse somatique et de la cryoconservation chez Picea abies. Mémoire de fin d'étude de l'UCL (Belgique). 155 p.
FOURRE J.L., 1995. Embryogenèse somatique et varia-tion somaclonale chez l'épicéa : approches morpho-génétique, cytogénétique et moléculaire. Thèse de
Doctorat de l'UCL (Belgique). 134 p.
FOURRÉ J.L. ET ANDRÉ P., 1997. Biotechnologies et amélioration génétique des conifères, Silva Belgica, 104(2) : 7-14.
FOURRÉ J.L., BERGER P, NIQUET L. AND ANDRÉ P., 1997. Somatic embryogenesis and somaclonal varia-tion in Norway spruce: morphogenetic, cytogenetic and molecular approaches, Theoretical and Applied Genetics. 94: 159-
169.
FOURRÉ J.L., 2000. Somaclonal variation and genetic molecular markers in woody plants. In: Molecular Biology of Woody plants. Ed. Jain S.M. and Minocha S.C.,
Kluwer Academic Publishers, Netherlands, 1: 425-449.
FOURRÉ J.L., BERGER P., NIQUET L., CHARLIER O., LEBBE O., COURCELLE
C., HAKIZIMANA F., MALGRAS N. AND ANDRÉ P., 2000. First cases of totally and partially trisomic plants produced via somatic em-bryogenesis in Norway spruce. In :
Cytogenetic studies of forest trees and shrubs. Ed. Guttemberger H., Borzan Z.,
Schlarbaum S.E. and Hartman T.P.V., Arbo-ra Publishers, Zvolen, Slovakia, 43-50.
NIQUET L., 1996. Dénombrements chromosomiques au cours de l'embryogenèse somatique et au niveau de semis d'épicéa : détection de mutations génomi-ques et amélioration de la méthode. Mémoire de fin d'étude de l'ISAB (France). 55 p.
NIQUET L., 2000. Transformation génétique de mas-ses embryogéniques d'épicéa
(Picea abies L. Karst) par bombardement de microparticules. Thèse de doctorat de l'UCL (Belgique). 118 p.