[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 155 (Wednesday, August 12, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Page 48296]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-19742]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Institute of Standards and Technology


External RNA Controls Consortium--Call for Participation and 
Contributions to a Sequence Library

AGENCY: National Institute of Standards & Technology (NIST), Department 
of Commerce.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: NIST is reconvening the External RNA Controls Consortium 
(ERCC), a public, private, and academic research collaboration to 
develop external RNA controls for gene expression assays (71 FR 10012 
and NIST Standard Reference Material 2374, available at http://www.nist.gov/mml/bbd/srm-2374.cfm). ERCC products are being extended to 
accommodate recently emerged applications. This is a call for (1) 
participation in ERCC activities and (2) collection of nucleic acid 
sequences to extend the ERCC library.
    The ERCC library is a tool for generating RNA controls; any party 
may disseminate such controls. Intellectual property rights may be 
maintained on submitted sequences, but submitted sequences must be 
declared to be free for use as RNA controls.

DATES: NIST will compile a library of sequences to be experimentally 
evaluated as RNA controls. Those sequences received by 5:00 p.m. 
Pacific Time September 30, 2015 will be considered for inclusion in 
this evaluation. Sequences submitted after this date may be considered 
in further evaluations.

ADDRESSES: Inquiries regarding ERCC participation and/or sequence 
submissions should be sent by email to [email protected]. See 
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for file formats and other information about 
sequence submission.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Sarah Munro, Jerod Parsons, or Marc 
Salit by email at [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NIST is reconvening the External RNA 
Controls Consortium (ERCC) to develop external RNA controls for gene 
expression assays. This group has already established a set of 96 RNA 
control sequences, commonly referred to as the ERCC controls, which is 
maintained as NIST Standard Reference Material 2374. Participation in 
the ERCC is open to all. ERCC activities may include:

    1. Design and contribution of RNA control sequences,
    2. validation of RNA control molecules with multi-laboratory 
testing,
    3. analysis of results, and
    4. dissemination of ERCC products, such as validated sequences, 
methods, and analysis tools.
    For further information on ERCC participation, please contact 
[email protected].

    NIST is collecting nucleic acid sequences to form an extended 
library of ERCC sequences suitable for the preparation of RNA controls. 
The RNA control sequences are intended to mimic endogenous RNA 
molecules, including mRNA, mRNA isoforms, microRNA, and other classes 
of biological RNA molecules. Intellectual property rights may be 
maintained on submitted sequences, but submitted sequences must be 
declared to be free for use as RNA controls. Selected sequence 
contributions will be experimentally evaluated based on testing of the 
following three RNA control hypotheses:

1. The RNA controls behave as mimics of endogenous RNA in assays
2. The RNA controls do not interfere with assays of endogenous RNA
3. Hypotheses 1 and 2 are valid in commonly used RNA assays

    Sequence submissions should consist of (1) a single sequence fasta 
file or multi-fasta file and (2) a single text file containing the 
following metadata for each submitted sequence:

1. The class of RNA molecule the control(s) are intended to mimic
2. Source of the sequence(s)
3. Proposed use scenario for the control(s)
4. Physical form of nucleic acids submitted (if any)
5. Intellectual property rights status

    To submit files or for further questions on sequence submission 
please contact [email protected].

    Authority:  15 U.S.C. 272(b) and (c).

Kevin Kimball,
Chief of Staff.
[FR Doc. 2015-19742 Filed 8-11-15; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-13-P