NOT-HG-02-004: OPPORTUNITY TO PROPOSE ORGANISMS FOR BAC LIBRARY CONSTRUCTION

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OPPORTUNITY TO PROPOSE ORGANISMS FOR BAC LIBRARY CONSTRUCTION Release Date: December 19, 2001 NOTICE: NOT-HG-02-004 National Human Genome Research Institute Annual Submission Dates: February 10, June 10 and October 10 Over the past several years, the bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) has emerged as the vector system of choice for the construction of the large- insert chromosomal DNA libraries that are needed in genomic studies. Because BAC clones are relatively large and appear to faithfully represent an organism"s genome, the BAC system will also be the vehicle of choice for the isolation of targeted regions of genomic DNA from additional organisms being used in specific biological studies, a variety of mouse strains, and even from individual humans. With the increasing interest in genomic approaches to biological research, the demand for new BAC libraries is expected to increase rapidly in the next several years. To meet the need to increase the number of available BAC libraries, NHGRI, NCRR, NIMH and NICHD plan to award a set of cooperative agreements (by December 1, 2001) to form the NIH BAC Resource Network and increase the national BAC library-making capacity. The Network will produce at least fifteen BAC libraries at 10X coverage of "mammalian- size" genomes or the equivalent. As of November 15, 2001, the following procedure will apply to all requests from investigators who wish to access the NIH-supported capacity for constructing BAC libraries from the genome of any organism for which there is currently no BAC library or for which a new library is needed. This procedure applies to: Requests for BAC library construction through the BAC Library Resource Network. This procedure applies only to the choice of BAC library construction targets for the cooperative agreements funded under the NIH BAC Resource Network. Other agencies also support laboratories to construct BAC libraries and inquiries about having BAC libraries made under that support should be directed to those agencies. Requests for making BAC libraries from all organisms except eubacteria, archaea, and plants. The Institutes supporting the BAC Resource Network are components of the National Institutes of Health. Accordingly, their primary missions are to develop and apply techniques of genomics and large-scale biology to the improvement of human health and to the improved understanding of science that will lead to the improvement of human health. The sequencing of eubacterial, archaeal, and plant genomes are more appropriate to the missions of other components of the NIH and/or other agencies. The following is a set of instructions that describe how individuals, groups, or entire research communities can submit requests to gain access to this resource and how decisions about allocating the capacity will be made. 1. To propose an organism as a candidate for having a BAC library constructed from its genome, a written request must be submitted to NHGRI. a. The written request should address the following issues: The importance of the organism to biomedical or biological research, Uses to which the BAC library would be put, in addition to genomic sequencing, The size of the research community that could potentially use the BAC library and the community"s interest in and support for having a BAC library, Whether the organism will be, or has been, proposed to NHGRI or another publicly funded agency for BAC-based genomic sequencing and the status of that request, Other genomic resources that are available that will complement this resource, The strain of the organism proposed and rationale for its selection, The size of the genome, The availability of a source of DNA for construction of the BAC library (evidence of its quality for this purpose), Specifications for the library (e.g., library depth, BAC insert size) and supporting scientific rationale for these specifications. (Note: any request for an unusual vector for a particular application must be thoroughly discussed), The time frame in which the library is needed, Other support that is available or has been requested for the construction of the desired library, The need for an additional BAC library if one or more already exists, and any other relevant information. b. Other NIH Institutes or Centers may subsequently decide to contribute funds to this program for the construction of a specific BAC library using the expanded national BAC library-making capacity. In such cases, the decision about the need for preparing the library will already have been made. A written request must be still submitted, but can be limited to a discussion of the specifications needed and DNA resources available, so that the library maker will have the information necessary to develop a plan for making the library. c. A written request may be submitted by an individual, a research group or a collaborative group, or by an individual(s) on behalf of an entire research community. d. The written request should not exceed a total of five pages and must address all of the issues under 1a. If one or more issues are not applicable to the specific request, that should be stated clearly, rather than not addressed. There is no specific form necessary for submission of a request nor is any specific format required, but all of the issues listed in item 1a should be addressed. e. The first set of written requests will be accepted on November 15, 2001. Thereafter, written requests will be accepted three times a year, on February 10, June 10, and October 10. The written request should be submitted by e-mail to: BAC_Library_Requests@mail.nih.gov. 2. A peer review committee set up by NHGRI program staff will assess the written requests on the basis of scientific interest and strategic feasibility based on the responsiveness to the issues described under 1a, and will establish a priority ranking for each request. The membership is posted at: this is the "Panel Membership" document. The assessment process will NOT involve the regular NIH peer review system. a. For each organism proposed, the committee will recommend whether the NIH BAC Resource Network should accept the request and, if so, whether it should be assigned to a high priority pool or to a standard priority pool. If the written request does not present enough information or a strong enough case to allow the committee to come to a decision, the request will be declined and the applicant can resubmit the request at the next deadline. b. Libraries whose construction is specifically being funded by other NIH Institutes participating in this program will automatically be assigned to the high priority pool, unless there is a serious flaw in the proposed plan. c. The committee"s decisions will be reported yearly, in writing, by NHGRI staff to the National Advisory Council for Human Genome Research. 3. New libraries to be constructed will be chosen from the priority pools on a schedule to be agreed upon by NHGRI staff and the laboratories participating in the BAC Library Resource Network. 4. The BAC library Resource Network will be overseen by a BAC Resource Steering Panel (https://www.genome.gov/About_NHGRI/Der/org_request/panel_memb.html) of 4-6 scientists, who will regularly evaluate the program"s overall progress and make recommendations to the NHGRI and participating Institutes about any adjustments that need to be made to the program. For additional information about the BAC library construction program, please contact: Dr. Jane Peterson Program Director, Large-scale Sequencing National Human Genome Research Institute Building 31, Room B2B07 MSC 2033 National Institutes of Health 9000 Rockville Pike Bethesda, Maryland 20852-2033 Phone: (301) 496-7531 Fax: (301) 480-2770 e-mail: jane_peterson@nih.gov

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