DNA Bank

Molecular data, particularly DNA sequences, are increasingly important for biosystematics, ecology and nature conservation. DNA sequences and fingerprints is routinely generated by many research groups because some of the most interesting questions about the evolution of life or the interactions between organisms in ecosystems cannot be answered without such data. The Senckenberg Research Institute and Natural History Museum Frankfurt/M. (SF) houses millions of collections that form a huge archive for basic research in this field.

At room temperature, DNA slowly degrades. It is technically difficult to isolate intact DNA from old museum collections. Therefore, the DNA Bank of SF and the Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Center (SBiK-F) stores isolated genomic DNA of all organismal groups at –80 °C and makes samples available for researchers. The DNA bank was installed in 2007 following a generous donation by the Ernst Max von Grunelius-Stiftung and is run jointly by SF and SBiK-F.

For most of the DNA samples voucher specimens are stored in the collections of SF. Information on vouchers (scientific names, locality data, collectors, dates) are available through the Senckenberg collection database SeSam – currently, the new database system AQUiLA is being developed.

Please send enquiries or suggestions regarding the DNA bank to dnabank@senckenberg.de