a non-profit association
rDNA ITS based identification of Eukaryotes and their communication via DOIs
Submit specimens for sequencing!
UNITE is opening free service for the sequencing of fungal specimens and/or living cultures. We target mostly Citizen Scientists who often collect important and rare species but which are rarely sequenced. In turn this will make sequence based identification keys less operable and undermine also taxonomy which is unable to serve other research fields like ecology with high quality keys. We hope to change it with this service.
We have capacity to sequence few thousand specimens per year. Priority will be given to those species which are missing in the UNITE database or to specimens from geographical regions and habitats not well covered by UNITE. We may also accept other sample types like plant roots, etc.
We will sequence rDNA ITS and the beginning of LSU regions and upload them into UNITE database using PlutoF platform. Owner of the specimens will be owner of the sequences too and will have full online access to the data. The owner of the sequences may release sequences immediately or lock them for 6-12 months. If you need to lock sequences longer then ask this before sequencing. There might be cases which need sequences to be locked for the longer time (e.g. undescribed species or manuscripts waiting for the publication).
If your material is accepted for the sequencing then you will receive spreadsheet template for the specimen data you need to fill out and submit together with specimens. We send you also tubes for the pieces of specimen accompanied with instructions how and what part of the specimen should be transferred into tube. If you are not able to transfer specimens by yourself then ask us and we will find solution. When sequences are released we also ask to lodge voucher specimen or part of it in collection registrated in Index Herbariorum or in the Global Registry of Biodiversity Repositories.
We highly appreciate receiving specimens or duplicates for TUF fungarium (mycological collections of the University of Tartu).
We encourage to submit material also by scientists with no opportunity to sequence their valuable material.
If you are interested in this service please contact us and ask for the details (Irja Saar; irja.saar@ut.ee).