Samples are stored at La Biobanque Génome Québec et CIUSSS du Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean à Chicoutimi .
Number of participants who provided biological samples (n=30,819)
| Samples available | Participants |
|---|---|
| Whole blood (EDTA collection tubes) | 27,236 |
| Whole blood on FTA filter (GenPlates) | 19,588 |
| Whole blood for cell culture (ACD-DMSO tubes) | 5,728 |
| Whole blood for RNA (Tempus tubes) | 8,630 |
| Dried blood spots (Whatman cards) | 4,703 |
| Plasma (PST, EDTA, Na-Citrate or Supelco collection tubes) | 29,676 |
| Serum (SST collection tubes) | 29,460 |
| Urine | 19,971 |
| Extracted DNA | 30,257 |
Collection
Biological samples were collected at recruitment or during subsequent sample collection campaigns.
Some information useful for interpreting results derived from sample analysis is available (food consumption, transfusion, pregnancy, etc.) in the interpretation of biological samples (2009) dataset.
List of biological samples collection campaigns
- Recruitment (2009) - 2009-07 to 2011-03
- Recruitment (2012) - 2012-11 to 2015-02
- Collaboration CAHHM (2015) - 2015-03 to 2017-07
- Serology COVID-19 (2021-03) - 2021-03 to 2021-05
- Serology COVID-19 (2021-10) - 2021-10 to 2022-07
- Serology COVID-19 (2022-04) - 2022-04 to 2022-06
At recruitment, all blood samples were collected from participants by means of venipuncture in the arm. Some participants who were unable or unwilling to donate blood provided a saliva sample for DNA extraction (OrageneTM Saliva Collection Kit). Blood spots from the COVID-19 study were self-collected by participants and deposited on a Whatman® 903 card.
Processing
Details of biological sample processing are available in the collection and processing of biological samples (2009) dataset. Preanalytical history of biological samples is available in the form of Standard Preanalytical Coding for Biospecimens (SPREC).
Analysis
At the time of recruitment, some samples were sent to clinical laboratories for biochemical and hematological analysis.
Serological analyses of COVID-19 antibodies were also performed three times during 2021-2022.
Genomic DNA was extracted from a majority of participants (n=30,257).
Genetic data in the CARTaGENE cohort| Type | N |
|---|---|
| Genotyping data (illumina GSA) | 29,336 |
| Whole genome sequencing data | 2,173 |
| RNA sequencing data | 911 |
| Whole exome sequencing data | 198 |
More details are available on Genetic Data.
Storage
Liquid blood and urine samples are stored at -80 °C or -196 °C. Whatman cards are stored at -80 °C. Some blood samples (recruitment (2009)) have been aliquoted into GenPlates and are stored in a vault at controlled RT temperature and humidity.
Transfer
Most biological samples are frozen in large volumes. They are thawed and aliquoted before being sent to approved users. Biological samples are shipped in 0.5 mL ThermoMatrix® tubes on racks. DNA samples can also be supplied in plates or other formats, subject to availability.
Some samples (plasma, serum) have already been aliquoted into 500uL straws. Unless otherwise specified by the investigator, straws are sent as is, without prior thawing.
Biological samples are shipped by the biobank to the approved user's designated laboratory.
Return of sample-derived data
Authorized users are invited to return initial (raw) and final (analyzed) data to CARTaGENE. The data is used to enrich the content of the CARTaGENE database, in accordance with the access policy. To help other users interpret the data accurately, a clear description of the dataset and the variables generated must be provided.