1. Create Order

• Register, if not already, then Login to Online Ordering at  https://ordering.seqart.net/cgi-bin/order/login.pl
• Create a Sample Tracking Template File (required next);

Remember wells G12 and H12 are used for control and MUST BE EMPTY

• Create an order – Select ‘Order Services’ to access Online Ordering and create your order;
• Print a copy of the signed Service Specification to include with order package.

2. PLANT TISSUE QUALITY AND QUANTITY REQUIREMENTS

Minimise the risk that the submitted tissues contain pathogenic viruses, bacteria, pest and parasites.

We accept 10-15mg of plant tissue.

The success of gDNA extraction relies on tissue quality from sampling to arrival to our facility. Please use the best methods of sampling and storing your samples prior shipment. These methods depend on the plant and tissue source.

Leaves

Leaves are most used tissue source for plants. We recommend collecting leaves into liquid nitrogen, if feasible, if not on ice blocks or at least on desiccant as silica beads/gels. If possible, we recommend lyophilising leaf samples before subsampling into recommended plates for shipment.

If you have any questions, please contact us at support@seqart.net. We will assist on leaf sampling techniques

3. Seeds and other plant samples

Seeds do not require special treatment, other than shipping with silica beads/gels.

SEED PACKAGING

1.      Package 5-8 dry seeds in an envelope.

2.      Label the envelope with the Plate Number, Well Position, and the genotype for the sample as indicated in the sample tracking file. E.g. Plate 2, 1A, ke1. See Figure 1 showing Samples from plate 2 column 4

3.      Use a rubber band or stapler to bind together all sample packets in same column from same plate. Do not mix up samples from different plates.

4.      Pack sample packets from same plate in their own sample bag.

5.      Ship the samples to SEQART AFRICA

4. Tissue samples from museum collections/herbarium/prolonged storage/valuable materials

We recommend that the gDNA form museum collections/herbarium/prolonged storage/valuable material is extracted by our users. If you have to rely on our DNA extraction services we will do our best, however it is critical you alert us that your material is from museum collections/herbarium/prolonged storage/valuable by adding adequate note while placing your order and on the Sample Tracking File in the Comments. Otherwise your samples will be processed using our standard procedures which may not be sufficient for museum collections/herbarium/prolonged storage/valuable tissues.

If you have any questions, please contact us at support@seqart.net, we will assist based on experience with large diversity of processed organisms/tissue sources.

5. SAMPLE PACKAGING

• Firmly seal all bags (preferably double layer ziplock plastic bags) or alternatively use Parafilm
• Full contact details to be provided in printed form inside the parcel for the sender of the material, and for the client to be invoiced (if different)
• Make sure all our contact details (and yours) are correctly and legibly written, including our phone number, on outside the package.
•  Please include your Service Specification and Sample Tracking File.
• Package in a rigid box/container with ample packing to allow for rough handling during shipment.

For Plant Tissues, please follow the following instructions:

• Use ‘MicroTube Rack System™, 1.1mL Single Tubes in Racks’ (from National Scientific Supply Co, Inc. USA, website: nat-sci.com, catalogue numbers TN0946-01R for racks and TN0946-01B for tubes1) or equivalentto allow for our automated plate(s) processing,
• Label the tubes from either row A or row H with their well positon (for example A1, A2, A3 etc.);
• Provide around 5-10mg of plant tissue per sample/tube; please contact us (support@seqart.net) if you have any doubts about tissue size/weight or if you have not used our services for the organism/tissue you plan to send to us before;
• Use ‘Pierceable TPE Micronic capband-8 cluster’ (capmat format from Micronic, The Netherlands, website: micronic.com, catalogue number MP53024) or equivalent, to firmly and securely seal the tubes;
• Make sure that ALL tubes across the rack are tightly sealed;
• Package the rack(s) with plant tissue samples in a rigid box with ample packing (bubble wrap or similar) to allow for rough handling during shipment;

6. Ship to Address

JACKLINE CHEPKOECH,

SEQART AFRICA,
International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) Campus, Old Naivasha road,

P.O Box 30709,

Nairobi 00100, Kenya