What are genomic resources?
Article 2 of the CBD defines the term, "genetic resources” to mean “any material
of actual or potential value of plant, animal, microbial or other origin
containing functional units of heredity”. In the same logic, Genomic Resources are whole or parts of the genome (DNA)
or its functional units (RNA) of actual or potential value. Whereas genetic
resources can actually give rise to whole organisms, genomic resources can at
best recover traits (directly or indirectly) of these organisms.
Why do we need to conserve genomic resources?
Current research (both routine cloning experiments and genome sequencing
projects) generates a lot of genomic resources. These genomic resources are
indispensable tools for post-genomic research, be it physiological and
morphological characterization of a species or functional analysis of genes or
comparative genomics or plant breeding. Therefore, it is necessary to maintain
an efficient system for conservation and management of spin-off DNA materials.
Due to the availability of techniques that help characterize and utilize DNA
sequences (without the requirement of whole organism), value added products of
genebanks can attract new clients involved in allele-mining and cisgenesis, such as molecular
biologists and geneticists alongside the traditional plant breeders.
Types of genomic resources
• Cloning
vectors, expression vectors, binary vectors, RFLP probes
• Cloned
genes, promoters fused to reporter genes
• Sub-genomic,
cDNA, EST, repeat enriched libraries
• BAC,
YAC, PAC clone set from sequencing projects
• Genomic,
mitochondrial or chloroplast DNA
• Cloned
DNA from wild and weedy species produced exclusively for the repository
Storage methodologies
• 1–2 years at 4°C; 4–7
years at -20°C and greater than 5 years when stored at -70°C
• ESTs, full-length cDNAs,
BACs, PACs and YACs are maintained in 96-well or 384-well micro plates at -80°C
• cDNA clones as plasmid
DNA at -20°C
• Lyophilized DNA for
long-term storage
• Ambient
temperature storage