HUMAN CELL LINE AUTHENTICATION

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We perform human Cell Line Authentication / Identification for you using short tandem repeat DNA profiling (STR Profiling).  

This assay will NOT WORK for mouse or any other mammalian cell line. 

Give yourself the peace of mind that your cells are what you think they are and have been identified and characterized -- before publishing your results. Validate your cells or cell lines before spending time, energy, and money on experiments. 

$100 per cell line for UC labs. Add 10% for LBNL and CHORI. Add 61% for others.

The service includes: Genomic DNA extraction, QC, PCR amplification of 9 STR loci plus Amelogenin using Promega GenePrint 10 System, Fragment Analysis with ABI 3730XL DNA Analyzer, comprehensive data analysis with ABI GeneMapper software and final verification using supplier databases including ATCC and DSMZ.

We start the CLA process every Thursday.   Turnaround time: 3~5 business days.

You may send samples via any overnight courier (or even economy 2-day if there's enough dry ice included). HOWEVER, if you are shipping Wednesday for Thursday delivery (we begin processing samples Thursday mornings) we recommend FedEx because packages are typically delivered by 10:30am -- enabling delivered samples to be tested the same day. Samples that arrive Thursday afternoon (or later) will be processed the following week -- unless there are more than 20 samples samples in your shipment. 

Absolutely NO submission of known or potentially infectious biologicals: no cells with any known or suspected or possible viruses or other potentially hazardous agents. All samples will be handled in a BSL1 laboratory. If ATCC (or anyone else) notes the cells to be BSL2 (or higher), we can still perform the CLA analysis for you. HOWEVER, you would need to submit cell lysates to eliminate any possibility of infectious agent transmission to our staff or within our facility. Thank you for your understanding and adherence to this important policy.s 

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GUIDELINES FOR SUBMITTING CELL LINES FOR FRAGMENT OR SHORT TANDEM REPEAT (STR) ANALYSIS:

• NO INFECTIOUS OR POTENTIALLY INFECTIOUS SAMPLES MAY BE SUBMITTED WITHOUT FIRST COMMUNICATING WITH OUR STAFF - AND PRIOR TO SHIPPING. WE HAVE A ZERO TOLERANCE POLICY -- FOR THE HEALTH AND WELFARE OF STAFF AND STUDENTS. THANK YOU!
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• PLEASE USE 1.5mL flip-cap (i.e., "Eppendorf") tubes for submitting samples.
• PLEASE WRITE CLEARLY on the sample tubes!
• PLEASE WRITE A SIMPLE SAMPLE NAME (e.g., your initials and a number) on the TOP and SIDE of each tube; then on the SIDE of the tube also include your name, the cell line origin (e.g., HEK293, HeLa, MCF-7, etc) and the date submitted -- (we recommend using "Tough-Tags" or "Cryo-Babies" labels, but clear writing with alcohol resistant ink is also acceptable). 
• Sample names need to be UNIQUE and CANNOT HAVE SPACES OR UNUSUAL CHARACTERS: names on the order form may only include the following punctuation:  - + . ( ) { } _
•  -- We copy and paste from the emailed Excel form you send to ensure accuracy -- so proper naming really helps!
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• PLEASE SUBMIT DUPLICATE samples in case we need to repeat the analysis.
• COLLECT ~1-2 MILLION CELLS into the aforementioned, labeled 1.5mL tube(s). 
• PLEASE PELLET THE CELLS and REMOVE ALL OF THE MEDIA  --  If you do not -- you may be charged for extra labor!
• SNAP FREEZE THE CELL PELLET  -- this destroys cell integrity (viability) and allows our staff to open the tubes and begin STR processing immediately.
• PLEASE EMAIL the order form with ALL CONTACT AND SAMPLE INFORMATION INCLUDED -- but please enter each sample only once on the submission form (do not enter the duplicate, backup samples on the order form).
• PLEASE INCLUDE A PRINTED COPY of the order form with the shipped cells.
• SHIP CELLS ON DRY ICE TO: UC Berkeley DNA Sequencing Facility, 310 Barker Hall #3202, Berkeley, CA  94720-3202.   Phone:  510-642-6383
• We will send you a confirmation email upon receipt, and STR analysis takes place on the next Thursday. 

Thank you very much for following these basic guidelines -- It really helps!