About this database:

1. Each "worm" lab sends its most useful strains to the Caenorhabditis Genetics Center (CGC), but it is not possible to send every strain. The present database aims at giving access to the strains collected or generated in the Félix lab. This collection mostly includes wild isolates of soil-dwelling nematode isolates (C. elegans, C. briggsae, Oscheius spp. and a variety of other species), most of which can be kept frozen, but some of which we maintain in culture because they do not recover well after freezing. This lab collection also includes Oscheius tipulae mutants and genetic tools generated in C. elegans or O. tipulae for evolutionary studies, such as introgressed mutant lines or recombinant inbred lines. In the long term, we plan to enrich this database with links to further informations on each strain, especially on the molecular and phenotypic polymorphism data we are generating in C. elegans and O. tipulae.
   
2. We try to follow the C. elegans nomenclature rules. Each strain is designated by a 2- or 3-letter code, followed by the number of the strain given by the corresponding lab. The strain code name for the Félix lab is JU (for JUssieu). For mutants, each locus is designated by a 3-letter code followed by a number and each mutant allele by another 1- or 2-letter lab code followed by a number. The allele code name for the Félix lab is mf. For example, the JU100 strain is an Oscheius tipulae mutant of genotype iov-2(mf76). Iov is a CGC/Jonathan Hodgkin-approved name for mutants in the 'Induction Of the Vulva".
   
3. For Oscheius tipulae mutants, we use C. elegans phenotypic categories, such as Dpy (Dumpy) and Unc (Uncoordinated). However, be aware that the O. tipulae unc-1 gene is not the homolog of the C. elegans unc-1. Once the homolog has been determined, the C. elegans gene name can be used, with Oti- in front of it to specify the species: for example Oti-lin-39 designates the Oscheius tipulae homolog of C. elegans lin-39 (and Ppa-lin-39 the Pristionchus pacificus homolog, Bma-lin-39 the Brugia malayi homolog, etc.).
   
4. Concerning the zoological nomenclature, be aware that many nematode species are difficult to identify and that many are undescribed. If so, the species is designated by its genus name, followed by sp. (and sometimes a number if the species has been defined but not named). Because of fluctuating nomenclature, it is useful to refer to the strain number (for example see Oscheius tipulae CEW1).
   
5. For JU strains, the filed "From" in the database refers to the person(s) in the lab who generated the strain. For strains that were not generated by us, the field "From" tries to keep track of the chain of people (from first to last) through whom the strain arrived to us. Note that the strain number should not change when the strain arrives in a new lab.