Luc C. Duchesne

Microprojectile-DNA delivery in conifer species: factors affecting assessment of transient gene expression using the β-glucuronidase reporter gene

The Biolistic® microprojectile DNA-delivery method was used to test the usefulness in conifers of eight gene constructs based on the 35S promoter, the AMV translational enhancer, and gene fusion between the P-glucuronidase and the neomycin phosphotransferase II genes. The evaluation was done with embryogenic cells of Picea glauca, where the relative strengths of the promoters were 35S-35S-AMVE>35S-AMVE>35S-35S>35S as evaluated by transient gene expression. The fusion gene of GUS and NPT II gave lower levels of transient gene expression than the unfused GUS gene as detected by X-GLU histochemical assays. Experiments comparing the EM promoter of wheat and the 35S-35S-AMVE promoter (with and without fusion between GUS and NPT II) were done in Picea rubens, P. mariana, P. glauca, and Larix x eurolepis. The unfused gene with the 35S-35S-AMVE promoter gave higher levels of transient gene expression than the fused GUS-NPT II gene. The fluorescent MUG assay was more sensitive than the histochemical X-GLU assay to detect the activity of the β-glucuronidase gene.

Forest communities in the third millennium: linking research, business, and policy toward a sustainable non-timber forest product sector.

Contains a wide variety of papers given at the first international conference on non-timber forest products (NTFP) in cold temperate and boreal forests. Focuses on many facets of NTFPs: economics, society, biology, resource management, business development, and others.

Effets de l’intensité du brûlage dirigé et de la scarification sur la diversité des espèces végétales dans un peuplement de pin gris (Pinus banksiana Lamb)

Vegetation development was studied in a jack pine (Pinus banksiana) clear-cut one and two years after prescribed burning or scarification. Even if differences were found in species composition, mos...