Tetrahymena Stock Center

Deposition of large strain collections pre-frozen in liquid nitrogen

1. If you have a large number of strains, please contact us so that we can work together to decide which strains should be kept. Once strains have been selected for deposition, we will need to know:
   
   
   • How many samples of each strain can you send? We prefer 5 vials of each strain if possible, 4 for long term storage and 1 to test thaw. If that is not possible, we will accept a minimum of 3 vials of a single culture, one of which will be test thawed here. Always maintain backups of the lines you ship until we verify that they have been safely tested and deposited.
     
     
   • What size cryovial are you using? We use NALGENE System 100™ vials 5000-1012 (O.D. 12mm, height 38 mm) and 5000-1020 (O.D. 12 mm, height 48mm) to maximize freezer capacity. If you use different-sized vials, please tell us the manufacturer's name and catalog number so that we can be sure that the vials will fit in our freezer boxes.
     
     
2. Once the decision on what strains to keep has been made, we can help you convert your records into a format that we can easily import into our database. This is especially important for large collections. The field names that we use, which correspond to the fields in both the donor PDF and the donor Excel file, are defined in this table. We will work with you to facilitate transfer of necessary information in the simplest manner possible, utilizing whatever database you are currently using. If your records are hard copy only, we can assist you in setting up an Excel file which will simplify entering the information the Stock Center needs to insure that that your strains are properly identified and easily accessible to potential users. Once we have the prerequisite information in our database, the strains can be submitted. To insure clear, unambiguous labelling of all cryovials submitted, to link the physical labels on the vials to our database, and to facilitate effective physical transfer of the cell lines, we will supply the following:
   
   
   • Cryolabels:
     We will use the information you supply to create special cryolabels for your vials, which we will ship to you. These labels will stick directly to frozen tubes at liquid nitrogen freezer temperatures without warming or thawing. The labels will be pre-printed with information on strain and freezer location that will interface in our database with the information you supply regarding your strains. This will prevent any problems reading the original labels on the tubes, which often are hand written cryptic notes specific to the freezer of origin. Since the donor lab will attach our labels to the frozen vials as they are readied for shipping, labeling errors will be minimized.
     
     
   • Shipping:
     For large collections, in addition to the dry ice shipping option, we have a large liquid nitrogen air freight container which can hold up to 500 vials and maintain ultralow (liquid nitrogen freezer) temperatures for up to 10 days. We will discuss with you what option is best based on the size and complexity of your strain collection.