Sampling collections should comply with the local and EU regulations. Make sure to have all the required permissions authorising collecting, exporting and sequencing species with open access data deposition before the collection of the species.

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i. ABS - Nagoya: The Nagoya Protocol is an international agreement that was adopted in 2010 as a supplementary agreement to the Convention on Biological Diversity. The Nagoya Protocol sets out rules and procedures regarding the access to genetic resources, and the sharing of the benefits derived from their usage. It also provides guidance on how to ensure the fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising from the utilisation of traditional knowledge associated with genetic resources. The Protocol has been ratified by over 100 countries, and has been widely praised as an effective tool for promoting the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity. To proceed, researchers should first verify whether their country has signed the relevant agreement, and subsequently, they should reach out to the designated focal point. Researchers should outline their intentions to conduct genome sequencing and subsequent release, while also requesting the necessary permit.

ii. Sample collection permit: It grants permission to the holder to collect wildlife samples, with the understanding that all samples are used for scientific research and educational purposes only. The holder of this permit must abide by all applicable international, national, and local legislation in the collection of wildlife samples. No sample may be collected without prior approval from the relevant authority. Some general rules, with more detailed information presented in the ERGA Sampling Code of Conduct:
 

1.Ensuring that all samples collected are properly labelled and documented.
2.Providing adequate protection of the samples while in transport.
3.Maintaining records of all samples collected.
4.Obtaining authorization to transport the samples to the appropriate research facility.
5.The holder of this permit is responsible for disposing of all unwanted samples in a manner that is respectful to the environment and in compliance with all applicable laws.
6.The holder of this permit must provide a copy of the collected samples to the appropriate authorities upon request.
7.The undersigned agrees to abide by the conditions of this permit.
 

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It is important to determine whether an indigenous population or a local community is involved in the project or whether the species is of special concern to them. In that case a label should be requested. The Labels allow communities to express local and specific conditions for sharing and engaging in future research and relationships in ways that are consistent with already existing community rules, governance and protocols for using, sharing and circulating knowledge and data. The primary objectives are to enhance and legitimise locally based decision-making and Indigenous governance frameworks for determining ownership, access, and culturally appropriate conditions for sharing historical, contemporary, and future collections of cultural heritage and Indigenous data. For more information check the ‘Local Contexts’ website.

 What sampling procedures do you follow on the field? For the generation of reference genomes, the perfect method is liquid nitrogen. There are many organic materials that can be stored in liquid nitrogen, including cells, tissues samples and entire individuals. As liquid nitrogen rapidly freezes samples, it provides researchers with the capability to store samples for long periods of time and minimises their DNA/RNA degradation. It is fundamental to collect samples and process them following the requirements specified by the sequencing facility. For species that can be maintained alive, they can be transported to a lab for processing and fast freezing the material immediately after dissection to prevent DNA and RNA degradation. The sample should be dissected on top of a plate on ice, to keep the sample cold, and fast frozen in liquid nitrogen.

Did an expert taxonomist confirm the identity of the collected species? Taxonomic validation is a complex and important process that is necessary for accurately classifying organisms by their physical and genetic traits. Reference genomes have already been created, but eventually the species was not what was targeted. Whenever possible, we recommend to DNA barcode the sample to prevent this from occurring.

A voucher specimen consists of a representative sample of the collected species. A voucher preserves as much as possible of the physical remains of an organism, serving as a verifiable and permanent record of wildlife. The sample is typically collected in the field and preserved in a herbarium or museum collection. Separate specimen voucher and take scaled pictures, following the requirements from the respective collection facility. (link of some facilities as an example). In addition, it should be noted that e-vouchers, which involve digital documentation and images, are also permissible in certain cases.

Biobanking refers to the storage of biological samples for research purposes. Animal/plant tissue biobanking is used to track genetic changes over time, which can help understand the evolution of species. Material for biobank should be deposited in biobank repositories. In addition to tissue biobanking, DNA biobanking is also possible. Ideally tissue and DNA are from the same specimen that will be sequenced, but for very small specimens a different individual can be used. The material should be preferably deposited in a repository in the same country of origin of the material. If national infrastructure is not available – or in addition to this, the LIB Biobank at Museum Koenig, Bonn, can centrally store any ERGA project samples. For contact information and sample requirements, please see LIB Biobank deposition guidelines.

Samples must be kept as cold as possible to prevent DNA degradation prior to sequencing. If possible, place the sample tubes into dry ice, a charged LN2 Dry Shipper (< -150ºC ) or a -80ºC freezer. Please note that wet ice and -20°C freezers are not appropriate for the storage of tubes containing samples intended for genome sequencing.

MTAs are agreements between two parties, typically a provider and a recipient, that govern the transfer of biological samples. MTAs are used to ensure that the provider of the material is adequately compensated for the use of the material, and that the recipient of the material is legally and ethically responsible for its use. Sample providers should be aware of any MTA, for example when sending biological material between their research facility and sequencing centres/biobanks. Please check the requirement with your sequencing centre and biobank. More information can be found in the CETAF Code of Conduct and Best Practices (Example MTA without change in ownership).

 All samples must be shipped on dry ice or in a dry shipper. Please make sure that they refill at borders/often. Be careful on the regulation of non-EU countries in Europe.

Do you wish to learn what metadata you need to submit with your sample in order to register it with ERGA as an ERGA Community genome? This is the ERGA sample manifest. Fields marked in bold are the mandatory variables.

The European Nucleotide Archive (ENA) operates as a public archive for nucleotide sequence data. This is the ENA checklist of minimum requirements to register a physical sample.