AVAILABILITY TO THE SCIENTIFIC COMMUNITY OF MICE WITH SELECTIVE MUTATIONS

Release Date:  October 5, 2001

NOTICE:  NOT-MH-01-011

National Institute of Mental Health
 (http://www.nimh.nih.gov)
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
 (http://www.ninds.nih.gov)
National Institute on Aging
 (http://www.nih.gov/nia)
National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders
 (http://www.nidcd.nih.gov)
National Institute on Drug Abuse
 (http://www.nida.nih.gov)
National Eye Institute
 (http://www.nei.nih.gov)
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism
 (http://www.niaaa.nih.gov)

Request For Applications (RFA) MH-99-007, “Mouse Mutagenesis and Phenotyping: 
Nervous System and Behavior,” available at 
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-MH-99-007.html, was issued 
in 1999 to establish neuroscience-focused facilities for large-scale, 
efficient, whole-genome mutagenesis, in order to promote the systematic and 
comprehensive functional analysis of neurobiological and behavioral 
phenotypes in the mouse.  Cooperative agreements for three large-scale 
mutagenesis and phenotyping facilities that focus on abnormalities in nervous 
system function and behavior (Northwestern University Neurogenomics Project, 
Northwestern University - U01 MH61915; Tennessee Mouse Genome Consortium, 
University of Tennessee, Memphis - U01 MH61971; Neuroscience Mutagenesis 
Facility, the Jackson Laboratory - U01 NS41215) were funded under the RFA.  A 
major goal of this initiative is to provide the scientific community with new 
research resources in a timely fashion.  Each project will isolate mutations 
by using chemical mutagens such as N-ethyl-N-nitrosourea (ENU), and in a 
screening protocol described at the respective facility’s web pages (listed 
below) will target specific primary domains in nervous system function and 
complex behavior.  The mutagenesis and screening protocols differ, hence the 
types of mutants generated will differ among facilities.  Mutant mice 
produced by all three projects are generated and housed in specific pathogen-
free (SPF) conditions. 

It is expected that the mouse resources generated by these programs will be 
made available to the research community by a designated Mouse Neuroscience 
Phenotyping and Distribution Center, one of whose functions will be the 
distribution of the mice.  This Center is to be funded under an NIH contract.  
The proposals for its establishment have been solicited in a Request for 
Proposals (including amendments) available at 
http://www.nimh.nih.gov/grants/indexcon.cfm.  However, it is anticipated that 
some mutant mice or cryopreserved germplasm from mutant mice may be available 
sooner for distribution directly by the three mutagenesis facilities.  
Because of their earlier start dates, two facilities (Tennessee Mouse Genome 
Consortium and Neuroscience Mutagenesis Facility) expect to have mutant mice 
and materials available now.  The third (Northwestern University 
Neurogenomics Project) expects to make some mutant mice available in 
approximately 6 months.  Investigators who wish to receive such resources may 
visit the respective web sites of the facilities, where mutant lists, 
availability status, specific policies and other details regarding 
availability of mice or germplasm, material transfer agreement, and shipping 
and handling costs, will be provided.  Information at these sites will be 
continually updated as the resources become available.

Researchers who request these resources must pay all shipping and handling 
costs and, in the request for mice, must provide for their care and welfare 
in accordance with all Federal, state, and local laws.  Researchers must 
acknowledge in writing that approval for use of these animals in a scientific 
research project has been obtained from their local Institutional Animal Care 
and Use Committee (IACUC) and that they will adhere to the responsibilities 
and requirements of live animal care as specified in the Animal Welfare Act 
as amended (7 USC, 2131-2156) 
(http://www.nal.usda.gov/awic/legislat/usdaleg1.htm); the Health Research 
Extension Act of 1985, P.L. 99-158 
(http://grants.nih.gov/grants/olaw/references/hrea1985.htm); and the Guide 
for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals 
(http://oacu.od.nih.gov/regs/guide/guidex.htm).  Researchers will remain 
subject to applicable state or local laws or regulations and institutional 
policies that provide additional protections for the care and welfare of live 
animals.   

It is anticipated that in 2002, all mutants generated from the inception of 
the three programs will be distributed to the scientific community by the 
designated contract Phenotyping and Distribution Center.  

AVAILABILITY OF MUTANT MICE TO THE SCIENTIFIC COMMUNITY 

Northwestern University Neurogenomics Project
 (http://genome.northwestern.edu/)

Tennessee Mouse Genome Consortium
 (http://tnmouse.org/index.html)

Neuroscience Mutagenesis Facility
 (http://www.jax.org/nmf/)

INQUIRIES

Hemin R. Chin, Ph.D.
Division of Neuroscience & Basic Behavioral Science
National Institute of Mental Health
6001 Executive Boulevard, Room 7190, MSC 9643
Bethesda, MD 20892-9643
Telephone:  (301) 443-1706
FAX:  (301) 443-9890
Email: hchin@mail.nih.gov

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