[NHCOLL-L:242] Re: Accessioning and DNA sample query -Forwarded -Forwarded

[Sally Shelton]

Forwarded at the request of Mike Braun, program director of
the NMNH Laboratory of Molecular Systematics.


>2.  We are in the process of getting a DNA collection
started and I
>was wondering if anyone could help with some policy on the
>loaning of such specimens.  Essentially a DNA specimen
cannto
>be loaned - it is a gift of material which will not be
returned??  What
>prerequisites have been set by other organisations in terms
of
>lodging DNA sequences or data with the loaning organisation
or a
>recognised gene bank in return for the use of material??

I am attaching a copy of our request policy for avian tissue
at US 
NMNH.  Let me know if you have any trouble reading it.  You
can also 
access it at via a web browser at

ftp://onyx.si.edu/tissues/USNM_Tissue_policy.txt.


>3.  What concentration of ethanol is best for long term
storage of
>DNA specimen material if no cryogenic facilities are
available??

Many good samples have been lost due to attempts at EtOH
storage. 
Probably inadequate fixation is the problem.  Proceed
cautiously in 
this area and test your protocols before use.  Some have
seen DNA 
degrade slowly over a period of months to years in EtOH.

Good Luck,

Michael J. Braun                          Phone:
(301)238-3430
Laboratory of Molecular Systematics       Fax:  
(301)238-3059
Smithsonian Institution  	          E-mail:
braun at onyx.si.edu
4210 Silver Hill Rd.
Suitland, Maryland 20746


Revised 8 January 1998

SAMPLE REQUEST POLICY 
AVIAN GENETIC RESOURCES COLLECTION
NATIONAL MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY (USNM)
SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION

 USNM ornithologists and their collaborators have amassed a
large collection of avian tissue samples, most of  which are
accompanied by voucher specimens in the Division of Birds. 
These samples are available to qualified scientists doing
legitimate research.  However, the expense of acquiring,
curating, and maintaining this collection requires that
material be transferred only with thoughtful consideration. 
All researchers requesting samples from this collection are
asked to comply with the following guidelines.

REQUESTS

An informal inquiry via phone, letter or e-mail may be used
to determine which taxa are available and other information
about the samples in our collection.   The bulk of the
tissue was collected in the United States and in the
Neotropics, but other geographic areas are represented as
well.  Most samples are maintained in liquid nitrogen
storage systems at -120EC.  In some cases, DNA extracts are
available, which are maintained at -80EC.

Requests must be made in writing on institutional
letterhead.  Requests from pre- and postdoctoral students
and must be co-signed by the head of the studentss
laboratory or by the studentss graduate advisor, who accepts
full responsibility for compliance with the terms of the
exchange or transfer.   We recommend that permission to use
tissues be requested before grant or thesis proposals are
submitted.  Requests should contain the following:

!Brief Description of Research- Items to include are
purpose, techniques, gene(s) to be studied, lab facilities,
investigators involved and their experience, sources of
funding, and expected significance of the study.   Please
specify the proportion of all samples needed for the study
that the applicants will collect for themselves, which taxa
or OTUs will be collected, and how these samples will be
vouchered.
	
!List of Material Requested-  Please specify taxa, number of
individuals, specimen nos. and/or localities (if relevant),
tissue type(s), whether DNA extracts are acceptable, the
amount of material needed, and the preferred shipping
methods (e.g., frozen, 95% ethanol, etc.).

Evidence of Reciprocal Benefit-  Genetic resource
collections are expensive and time-consuming to build and
maintain, and are depleted with use.   We encourage
requesters to support the growth, maintenance and
accessibility of these collections.  Please describe your
efforts in this regard, such as availability of vouchered
samples from you or your institution.  Applicants associated
with labs or institutions that do not maintain genetic
resource or museum specimen collections may wish to consider
depositing samples and voucher specimens at USNM. 
Applicants who cannot reciprocate in kind will be charged a
replacement fee for samples to help defray the cost of
maintaining the collection.

Permit Verification-  Please provide copies of USDA and/or
USFWS permits required for you to handle requested samples. 
A USDA Restricted Material permit is usually necessary for
US labs if the requested material originated outside the US.
 CITES or other permits may be required from USFWS,
especially if material is to be exported.  Information on
USDA requirements can be found by calling (301)734-4952 or
visiting http://www.aphis.usda.gov on the Worldwide Web.
	
Shipping Instructions-  Please provide detailed instructions
including address, contact phone numbers and Federal Express
(or other) account number to be charged if the material is
to be shipped overnight.


CRITERIA FOR APPROVAL

Each request will be evaluated by Curators associated with
the Division of Birds, and approval will be based on the
following criteria:

the scientific value and feasibility of the project

the qualifications of the investigators

evidence of sufficient lab facilities and funding
		
rarity and replaceability of the samples requested
		
approval of original collector(s)

proportion of samples being collected by applicants

evidence that the applicants are contributing to the base of
genetic resources available for study by collecting,
properly documenting and depositing samples and voucher
specimens in collections where they are available to others
or by supporting such collections financially.

TERMS

Tissue transfers are made under the following conditions:

Samples will be used only for the purposes stated in the 
Description of Research.  The Description of Research may
not be amended nor may the material be used for other
purposes without written permission from USNM.  

Neither the samples nor any part, extract or product thereof
may be given or loaned to another laboratory or investigator
without written consent from USNM.

No commercial use will be made of, nor license or patent
applied for on the samples or any information or data
derived from them without written consent from USNM.  In
some cases, commercial or restrictive use of the samples
would violate terms of the permits under which they were
collected.

Recipients will allow USNM or other legitimate investigators
reasonable access to the samples and parts, products,
extracts and data derived from them for purposes of
replication or verification of published results obtained
with the samples.

Recipients will acknowledge USNM and report USNM sample
and/or voucher specimen numbers and collector's name for
each sample in every publication that results from research
on or other use of the samples.  This may be done in table
or text format, but collector's names should be associated
with individual specimens.

Recipients will send 2 reprints of each such paper to USNM
upon publication.

Any other stipulations made by USNM as a condition of a
particular transfer or exchange. 

All responsible parties must sign and date a letter of
agreement specifying the terms of the transfer.





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