Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Good-Enough RFLP Matcher (GERM) program

  • Short Note
  • Published:
Mycorrhiza Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

A spreadsheet-based program (Good-Enough RFLP Matcher or GERM) is presented that matches unknown restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) patterns of ectomycorrhizal fungi to a database of known ectomycorrhizal fungi. The program uses three simple methods to determine whether a sample matches a known: (1) Forward Matching: whether every band in the unknown is present in a known sample within a given error range; (2) Backward Matching: whether every band in the known sample is present in the unknown within a given error range; (3) Sum of Bands: whether the sum of all bands in the known and unknown are similar within a given error range. The program is available through the web page of this journal.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • Gardes M, Bruns TD (1996) ITS-RFLP matching for the identification of fungi. In Clapp JP (ed) Methods in molecular biology, species diagnostics protocols: PCR and other nucleic acid methods. Humana, Totowa, N.J., 50:177–186

  • Horton TR (2002) Molecular approaches to ectomycorrhizal diversity studies: variation in ITS at a local scale. Plant Soil 244:29–39

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Horton TR, Bruns TD (2001) The molecular revolution in ectomycorrhizal ecology: peeking into the black box. Mol Ecol 10:1855–1871

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

T. Horton assisted with testing and improving this program. Major support was provided by an NSF LTER grant (NSF/DEB 0080382). This research was also supported in part by the University of Minnesota Agricultural Experiment Station.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Forest Resources, University of Minnesota, 115 Green Hall, 1530 N Cleveland Ave., St. Paul, MN 55108, USA

    Ian A. Dickie & Peter B. Reich

  2. Department of Plant Biology, University of Minnesota, 1445 Gortner Ave., St. Paul, MN 55108, USA

    Peter G. Avis & David J. McLaughlin

Authors
  1. Ian A. Dickie
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Peter G. Avis
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. David J. McLaughlin
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Peter B. Reich
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ian A. Dickie.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Dickie, I.A., Avis, P.G., McLaughlin, D.J. et al. Good-Enough RFLP Matcher (GERM) program. Mycorrhiza 13, 171–172 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00572-003-0225-x

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00572-003-0225-x

Keywords

Search

Navigation