FW: postal irradiation

From: Emily Orling emily.orling at mobot.org> on 2001.11.12 at 20:11:22(7807) Title: FW: postal irradiation Arioders: I remember the discussion on-line concerning the new postal security system effecting live plants and seeds in the mail... this site could answer some questions. (hopefully this hasn't already been sent to the list; if so, sorry about that!) Emily +More -----Original Message----- Sent: Friday, November 09, 2001 4:18 PM Subject: FW: postal irradiation -----Original Message----- Sent: Friday, November 09, 2001 2:11 PM To: TAXACOM@USOBI.ORG Subject: postal irridiation Taxacomers The extract at the website below provides a briefing to the effects on research specimens and museum collection items from electron beam irradiation of mail by the US Postal Service. http://www.si.edu/scmre/mail_irradiation.html The following passage should be of particular concern to those who send DNA samples through the mail to museums and laboratories. Living material will have little or no chance of survival. "A special case is that of DNA molecules. The relatively large size of the DNA molecule results in a high probability of it being hit by one or more radiation particles. It is worth noting that the primary mode of radiation induced eradication of micro-organisms is major destruction of the DNA. Hence, irradiation at the levels intended for anthrax spore extermination will also induce major damage to DNA in research specimens. These effects will include fragmentation of the molecule and, through recombinations, formation of mutations. The mutagenic properties of ionizing radiation are, of course, well known, and result from these recombination reactions. While a significant fraction of the original DNA of the specimen irradiated at dose levels of 10-50 kGy may be preserved, the question, which arguably can only be addressed on a case-by-case basis, is to what extent the research value of the specimen is compromised, for the intended or future studies, by the large scale destruction of the specimen's DNA, and the formation of significant quantities of mutated varieties and of major concentrations of fragmented DNA." I will be interested to hear if FedEx and other commercial carriers will also be considering radiation, which will then leave little avenue for movement of specimens between collections. Chris -------------------------------------- Dr. Christopher F. Puttock Collection Manager of Botany Department of Natural Sciences Bernice P. Bishop Museum 1525 Bernice Street Honolulu HI 96817-2704 Tel: 808 848 4177 Fax: 808 847 8252 --------------------------------------

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