UCI > Research > TMF > Summary of Services

Summary of Services and Prices

The TMF currently offers the following services to investigators at UCI. Some services are also available to other UC campuses and to clients outside of the UC system. Prices for UCI clients are shown in parentheses after the title of each service.

Where applicable, rates for clients at other campuses are given at the end of each description of the service. All rates assume the investigator is using the standard strain of egg donors (CB6F1, a hybrid of BALB/cAnNHsd and C57Bl/6NHsd), or blastocyst donors (C57Bl/6NTac). Surcharges are added for other strains, due to the necessity of using more mice to compensate for lower yields. Specific surcharges are listed below for FVB and C57BL/6J donors. Prices for strains other than CB6F1, FVB, and C57BL/6J must be negotiated with the TMF manager.

Note: C57BL/6NHsd is the Harlan substrain of C57BL/6, C57BL/6NTac is the Taconic substrain, and C57BL/6J is the Jackson Laboratory substrain. These substrains are not genetically identical.

Note that the patent covering the method of pronuclear injection of DNA to make transgenic mice has expired, so services utilizing this method are now available to any client.

Production of transgenic mice by pronuclear injection of DNA.
Basic Service ($920 for UCI clients using CB6F1 donors; add $185 for FVB donors, add $300 for C57BL/6J donors): The TMF will harvest and inject the pronucleus of fertilized eggs with DNA prepared and purified by the investigator (protocols available on request). Surviving eggs will be implanted in pseudopregnant females and any pups that are born will be delivered to the investigator for genotyping. Alternatively, the foster mothers can be delivered for dissection of embryos. There is no guarantee that transgenic pups will be born. However, the TMF does guarantee that at least 100 eggs will be implanted or at least 3 transgenic offspring produced (whichever comes first). The investigator must supply a photo of the gel used to purify the DNA for injection, to document its concentration and purity. Also, brief descriptions of the construct and its expected phenotype are requested. About 1 microgram of construct should be submitted (e.g., 50 ul of a 20 ng/ul solution), in water or TE.

Rate for other University of California campuses: $1463 plus shipping for CB6F1 donors; add $275 for FVB donors, $330 for C57BL/6J donors. (An additional 9.9% surcharge will apply if paying from a non-UC account.)

Rate for academic clients outside of the UC system: $1683 plus shipping for CB6F1 donors. Add an additional $275 for FVB donors, $379 for C57BL/6J donors.

Rate for commercial clients: $2500 plus shipping for CB6F1 donors. Add an additional $352 for FVB donors, $563 for C57BL/6J donors.

Premium Service ($1650 for UCI clients using CB6F1 donors; add $250 for FVB donors, add $400 for C57BL/6J donors): DNA supplied by the investigator will be injected into fertilized eggs until at least 50 pups (or embryos) or at least 3 transgenic offspring are produced, whichever comes first. Additionally, the TMF will tail-cut all offspring, identify them by ear-punch, and ship the tail samples to the client for genotyping (via FedEx on dry ice for off-campus clients). Transgenic pups identified by the client will then be shipped after weaning. Transgenic status refers only to DNA integration. The TMF cannot guarantee expression of an RNA or protein product from the integrated DNA. As for the Basic service, 1 microgram of DNA should be submitted, along with gel documentation of purity and concentration, and a description of the construct and its phenotype.

Rate for other University of California campuses: $3300 plus shipping for CB6F1 donors; add $275 for FVB donors, $440 for C57BL/6J donors. (An additional 9.9% surcharge will apply if paying from a non-UC account.)

Rate for academic clients outside of the UC system: $3795 plus shipping for CB6F1 donors. Add an additional $319 for FVB donors, $506 for C57BL/6J donors.

Rate for commercial clients: $5000 plus shipping for CB6F1 donors. Add an additional $420 for FVB donors, $667 for C57BL/6J donors.

Production of chimeric mice by injection of targeted ES cells into blastocysts. Please note that additional fees may apply for testing of ES cells for murine pathogens, and for expansion of frozen cells. See the service request form for details.

Basic Service ($1294 for UCI clients): The TMF will harvest blastocysts from C57BL/6 mice (currently C57BL/6NTac, from Taconic, although the exact source of the donors may change without notice), and inject 10-15 ES cells, provided by the investigator, into each viable blastocyst. Injected blastocysts will then be implanted into pseudopregnant females. The TMF guarantees that at least 50 blastocysts will be successfully injected and implanted into foster moms, or 3 chimeric pups will be produced, whichever comes first.

Rate for other University of California campuses: $2021 plus shipping (add 9.9% if paying from a non-UC account).

Rate for academic clients outside of the UC system: $2179 plus shipping.

Rate for commercial clients: $2548 plus shipping.

Premium Service ($1940): Similar to the Basic Service, except the TMF guarantees to produce at least 50 pups or 3 chimeric pups, whichever comes first. The TMF cannot guarantee that injected ES cells will contribute to the germline. This service is no longer offered to outside clients.

PCR service ($62/procedure): The TMF will perform PCR, using DNA, primers, and reaction conditions supplied by the investigator. The products will be separated on a polyacrylamide or agarose minigel, stained, and photographed to document results. Each procedure can accommodate up to 24 DNA samples. Rate for other University of California campuses: $100/procedure (add 9.9% if paying from a non-UC account).

Full Genotyping Service ($80 set-up, plus $3.00/mouse): The TMF will collect tail biopsies from mouse pups and ear-punch the pups for identification. DNA will be extracted from the biopsies and analyzed by PCR, using primers and a protocol, of demonstrated utility, supplied by the investigator. Each procedure can accommodate up to 24 biopsies. This procedure is primarily intended for transgenic mice being bred by the TMF for an investigator. Rate for other University of California campuses: $120 set-up, plus $5.00/mouse (add 9.9% if paying from a non-UC account).

Breeding Service ($0.70/day/cage): The TMF will breed genetically-modified mice in its mouse room, or in other rooms supplied by ULAR. The cost includes tail-cutting and identification of pups, with tails supplied to the client for genotyping. Rate for outside clients: $1.00/day/cage.

Rederivation of mice by embryo transfer ($1200): The TMF will superovulate, mate, and collect embryos at the 8-cell stage, using mice supplied by the investigator (either males or females may be supplied, but males are highly preferred). The embryos will then be implanted into foster moms prepared by the TMF. After the pups are weaned, serology testing will be performed on serum from the foster moms, to document the success of the rederivation. This service is primarily intended for those cases where mice carrying infectious diseases must be brought onto campus. It may also prove useful in cases of a valuable strain that will no longer breed successfully. This is only available to UCI clients.

Cryopreservation of mouse embryos ($500 per attempt): Using both male and female mice supplied by the client, 8-cell stage embryos will be harvested from superovulated and mated females. These embryos will be frozen in a controlled-rate freezer, using glycerol as the cryoprotectant, and stored in liquid nitrogen in the TMF. The price applies to each day of cryopreservation, regardless of embryo yield, assuming there are no technical problems. The embryo yield will be determined largely by the number of mice supplied by the client. This is only available to UCI clients.

In vitro fertilization (small scale: $650; large scale: $1300): Using one or more males supplied by the client and up to 8 females for the small-scale service (up to 28 for the large-scale service), the TMF will harvest oocytes from superovulated females and fertilize them in vitro with sperm harvested from the male(s). Embryos are then cultured overnight to the 2-cell stage and implanted into pseudopregnant foster moms. There are no guarantees regarding the number of pups produced, but if no pups are obtained, the TMF will repeat the procedure once at no extra charge. This is only available to UCI clients.

ES cell culture services

ES cell electroporation, clone picking, and DNA extraction ($3500/construct for UCI clients): Using a targeting construct supplied by the client, we will electroporate the construct into E14TG2a ES cells, grow the cells under selection, pick up to 384 colonies, split each colony into twin sets of plates, freeze one set, and extract DNA from the other set. Includes electroporation with a control construct in parallel to check conditions and handling of the cells. We strongly urge clients to consult with us regarding the design of their targeting constructs and alternative methods of obtaining targeted ES cells.

Rate for clients from other UC campuses: $3675/construct for E14TG2A cells; $5465/construct for HGTC8 or other feeder-dependent lines. (Add 9.9% if paying from a non-UC account.)

Rate for clients from non-UC campuses: $3850/construct for E14TG2A cells; $5726/construct for HGTC8 or other feeder-dependent lines.

Genotyping of ES cell clones by Southern blot ($900 plus cost of restriction enzyme for UCI clients): At the client's request, we will screen the clones from an ES cell electroporation service for presence of the correctly integrated targeting construct. The probe DNA is supplied by the client and will be tested on wildtype ES cells prior to screening the clones. Note: the fee includes digestion of the DNA samples with only one restyriction enzyme.

Rate for clients from other UC campuses: $1933 plus cost of restriction enzymes. (Add 9.9% if paying from a non-UC account.)

Rate for clients from non-UC campuses: $2025 plus cost of restriction enzymes.

Expansion of selected ES cell clones from 96-well plates ($300 per clone for UCI clients): Based on genotyping results of clones resulting from an ES cell electroporation service, we will thaw clones selected by the client, expand them, freeze down 9 tubes of cells from each clone, and extract at least 50 ug of DNA from each clone for further analysis of the targeted allele.

Rate for clients from other UC campuses: $458/clone for E14TG2A cells; $641/clone for HGTC8 or other feeder-dependent cells. (Add 9.9% if paying from a non-UC account.)

Rate for clients from non-UC campuses: $480/clone for E14TG2A cells; $671/clone for HGTC8 or other feeder-dependent cells.

Karyotyping ($250/clone for UCI clients): Cells are grown, metaphase spreads prepared, and digital images of spreads are analyzed to determine the number of chromosomes per spread, for a minimum of 30 spreads.

Rate for clients from other UC campuses: $275/clone. (Add 9.9% if paying from a non-UC account.)

Rate for clients from non-UC campuses: $300/clone

Secondary electroporation of targeted ES cell clones ($1500 for UCI clients): We will perform a second electroporation with an expression plasmid or similar construct on one clone selected by the client. This service is intended for the introduction of a recombinase (e.g., Cre or Flp). Up to 192 colonies will be picked, split, frozen, and DNA extracted.

Rate for clients from other UC campuses: $2365 for E14TG2A cells; $3499 for HGTC8 or other feeder-dependent cells. (Add 9.9% if paying from a non-UC account.)

Rate for clients from other UC campuses: $2477 for E14TG2A cells; $3665 for HGTC8 or other feeder-dependent cells.

 

University of California, Irvine
Transgenic Mouse Facility
B123 Gillespie Bldg. • Irvine, CA 92697-1140
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Last Updated: August 17, 2007

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