BDSC collects stocks of broad or exceptional interest to current and/or future research. We seek to identify and acquire stocks that fulfill one or more of the specific functions outlined below. We do not accept stocks that are likely to be of interest to only one or two laboratories, those of purely speculative future value, or those of primarily historical interest. Broad collection goals are established by the BDSC's Scientific Advisory Board. We consider individual stocks for addition to the collection within the context of these policies and goals. With rare exceptions, donated stocks must be available for redistribution without restriction.
We solicit stocks in the following categories that provide either new or improved material:
- Stocks that represent genetic tools of use to a broad range of research projects, such as deficiencies and duplications, improved balancers, good dominant markers, mapping stocks, stocks for mutagenesis, GAL4/UAS and other stocks for directed gene expression, FLP/FRT and other stocks for clonal analysis, and tissue-marking GFP or lacZ reporter lines.
- Well characterized mutations affecting known structures, organs, or processes, e.g., cell division, early development, the visual system, development or function of the nervous system, and metabolism.
- One or two insertion alleles of annotated genes that are not already represented in the collection by characterized mutations.
- One or two alleles of mapped but otherwise uncharacterized visible, lethal, or sterile complementation groups from saturation screens.
- Special purpose strains that are not easily regenerated, such as certain chromosomal aberrations and marker combinations. All stocks added to the collection must be available for distribution to any researcher for any purpose, be reasonably healthy and be stable without selection.
Stocks are removed from the collection when a critical component is found to be not-as-represented or when a stock is deemed redundant or no longer of sufficient value to warrant space in the collection (sometimes due to new information about stock components, but usually due to changing techniques employed by fly workers). There are four categories of redundancy:
- Stocks with small genotypic differences, such as the same aberration with different markers, that are not heavily used.
- Multiple alleles with similar characteristics or undetermined characteristics.
- Transgenic insertions in regions with good representation by more useful insertions.
- Stocks whose primary purpose is now better served by another stock, or can be equally well served by a more versatile stock.
Please contact Maureen Lamb if you have stocks you want to contribute to the collection.