Do not submit manuscript directly to a member of the Editorial Board. You must upload your manuscript online at http://submit.genetics.org. Please ensure that your manuscript conforms to the proper format, described below. When you upload your manuscript, please provide the names of at least two associate editors. If not, we will assign one according to subject matter expertise. If you have trouble submitting your paper electronically, please contact the Editorial Office at

genetics-gsa@andrew.cmu.edu

(412) 268-1812 (phone)

(412) 268-1813 (fax)

or write

Managing Editor

GENETICS

Mellon Institute, Box I

4400 Fifth Avenue

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213-2683

Preparation of Research Articles

Manuscripts must be

• written in English with American spelling and correct grammar and punctuation
• in double-spaced, 12-point type throughout, including the Literature Cited section, appendices, tables, and legends
• printed on a single side of letter-sized paper with 1-inch margins
• held together with clips, not staples
• marked with consecutive page numbers, beginning with the cover page.

Do not number lines in the margins.

Start each of the following numbered elements on a new page

1. The title page must contain

• a concise and informative title that includes the organism under study
• the authors' names
• the authors' institutional affiliations, including department; institution; and city, state or province, country if outside the United States, and postal code. Do not include districts or street addresses.

Indicate different affiliations with the superscript symbols *, ^dagger, ^{double dagger}, ^§

Indicate an author's present address with a numbered footnote.

Indicate a dedicatory footnote (if desired) with boldfaced type.

List sequence accession numbers in an unnumbered footnote on page 1 using the following wording:

A paper otherwise found acceptable will not be published until accession numbers are provided. See the section below, Sequences, for more information on obtaining accession numbers.

2. Page 2 must contain

• a short running head of about 35 characters, including spaces,
• up to five key words or phrases, and
• the corresponding author’s name, mailing address including street name and number, phone and fax numbers, and email address. The corresponding author is the person responsible for checking the page proofs, ordering offprints, and arranging for the payment of page and author alteration charges.

3. The Abstract must be a single paragraph that

• does not exceed 200 words and
• does not contain references.

4. The text must be as succinct as possible. Present and discuss results just once, not in both the Results and Discussion sections. Discuss a possible explanation only if the results presented make a difference by allowing a resolution or posing a conundrum or paradox; ideas should not be discussed solely for the sake of completeness.

Manuscripts should conform to the style in recent issues of GENETICS, with particular attention to genetic symbols, in-text references, and the Literature Cited section. Differentiate between letters and numbers where they might be easily misrepresented, as with the typed letter l and the number 1 or the letter O and the number 0, by making penciled notations in the margins.

Text citations: In citations with two authors, include both names. In citations with three or more authors, name the first author and use "et al." Cite only articles that are published or in press. When citing personal communications or unpublished results, list all contributors by initials and last name; do not use "et al."

Numbers: In the text, write out numbers nine or less except as part of a date, a fraction or decimal, a percentage, or a unit of measurement. Use Arabic numbers for those larger than nine, except as the first word of a sentence; however, try to avoid starting a sentence with such a number.

Abbreviations: : Use abbreviations of the customary units of measurement only when they are preceded by a number: “3 min” but “several minutes.” Write “percent” as one word, except when used with a number: “several percent” but “75%.” To indicate temperature in centigrade, use ° (for example, 37°); include a letter after the degree symbol only when some other scale is intended (for example, 45°K).

Binomial names: Italicize names of organisms only when the species is indicated: Neurospora, but Neurospora crassa or N. crassa. Italicize the first three letters of the names of restriction sites, as in HindIII. Write the names of strains in roman except when incorporating specific genotypic designations.

Genotypes: Italicize genotype names and symbols, including all components of alleles, but not “+” indicating wild type and not when the name of a gene is the same as the name of an enzyme. Carefully distinguish between genotype and phenotype in both the writing and the symbolism.

Headings: To divide text into sections, use only these levels of headings:

• Level 1: Centered, all capital letters

• Level 2: Freestanding flush-left boldface

• Level 3: Paragraph-initiating boldface, followed by a colon

• Level 4: Paragraph-initiating italic

5. The acknowledgments(optional)must be a single paragraph that

• immediately follows the discussion
• includes all references to grant support and institutional publication codes
• includes the full names (not abbreviations) of all granting agencies (example: National Institutes of Health).

6. The Literature Cited section lists only articles that are published or in press.

• Format citations as in a recent issue of GENETICS; cite parenthetical references in text chronologically
• Insert a space between an author's initials.
• Order citations alphabetically by first author.
• For multiple citations with the same first author, first list single-author entries by year using 1996a, 1996b, etc., as needed. Then list two-author entries alphabetically by second author. Finally, list entries by three or more authors (cited in the text as "FIRST et al. 1996") only by year and without regard to number of authors or alphabetical rank of authors beyond the first.
• For articles with more than five authors, list the first five names and then "et al."

Sample journal article citation:

7. Appendices should be reserved for large bodies of data or arcane mathematical derivations that would disrupt the main text. Do not use appendices for briefer items requiring, for example, fewer than two typed pages.

8. The tables must each start on a new page.

• Give each a concise title.
• Double space all parts.
• Number each consecutively using Arabic numerals. Do not number consecutive tables 1A, 1B, etc., although interior parts of a table can be labeled A, B, etc., if necessary for easy reference in the text (but avoid this whenever possible).
• Define the boxhead and the bottom of the table with horizontal rules. Use shorter horizontal rules within the boxhead to indicate unambiguously which subheadings are subordinate to a higher-level heading. Use no vertical or diagonal rules. Use no horizontal rules between the boxhead and the closing rule. Give each column a title in the boxhead. Except in unusual circumstances, each boxhead entry should refer to material beneath it and not to material to the right.
• A table legend, if any, should precede footnotes. This legend should be separate from the table title.
• Indicate footnotes, typed directly below the table, with lowercase, superscript italic letters. Use *, **, and *** to indicate conventional levels of statistical significance, explained below the table.
• Do not include shading, color type, line drawings, graphics, or other illustrations within tables. Instead, prepare a separate, numbered figure to accompany the table.
• Table files must be Word documents and not in Picture Format.

9. The figure legends must each begin with a brief title leading into text. All conventional symbols used to indicate figure data points are available for typesetting; unconventional symbols should not be used.

10. The figures must be numbered consecutively using Arabic numerals. Provide reproduction-quality figures as well as figures on disk.

• Size and proportion each to be reproduced or reduced to 3.25 or 7 inches wide.
• Lightly write the name of the first author and the figure number on a back corner of each.
• Indicate "up" with an arrow on the back of each.
• Do not number consecutive figures 1A, 1B, etc. Parts of a figure can be labeled A, B, etc., if necessary for easy reference in the text.
• If a figure is submitted in unattached parts, include a sketch of how these should be arranged in the printed version.
• Indicate important aspects of photographs with arrows or numbers.
• Halftones should be high-contrast, glossy prints with sharp detail, because some loss of detail and contrast is inevitable in the printing process. Good contrast is particularly important for chromatographs, such as gel separations.
• Make the size and proportion of each group of figures suitable for reproduction at, or reduction to, 3¼ or 7 inches wide.
• Drawings, graphs, mating-type charts, complex chemical formulas, and other sketches should be treated as numbered figures.
• Histograms should not be used to present data that can be captured easily in text or small tables, as they take up much more space
• When using symbols that are normally italicized, such as genotypes, use italic rather than underlined Roman characters.
• Italicize all mathematical variables.
• Do not use boldface labels.
• Be sure to distinguish between similar characters, such as the letter l and the number 1 or the letter O and the number 0.
• Be sure that the axes of graphs are exactly perpendicular and that all lines are of equal density.
• The size of numbers and letters in a figure should be suitable for reduction to no greater than 10 points and no less than 6 points. Use similar size lettering throughout a figure and in similar figures.
• Some figures, like genetic maps based on DNA polymorphisms, summarize large data sets of interest to other investigators. The data sets supporting such figures should be placed on the journal’s web site (http://www.genetics.org) so that future researchers can build upon these studies.

11. Sequences may appear in text or in figures.

• For regions that have never been sequenced, DNA must be sequenced on both strands.
• New nucleotide data must be submitted and deposited in the DDBJ/EMBL/GenBank databases and an accession number obtained before the paper can be accepted for publication. Submission into any one of the three collaborating databanks ensures data entry in all. Sequence data may be submitted on the World Wide Web:

• DNA, RNA, or protein sequences corresponding to equal or greater than 50 nucleotides must be entered into an appropriate data bank and the accession number must be provided before an article will be published. If a proof is found to lack an accession number, the article will be held back from publication until the number is provided.
• Long sequences, such as those requiring more than about two pages to reproduce, will not be published unless the reviewers and the Associate Editor agree that publication is necessary. An author wishing to include a long sequence not recommended for publication must agree to pay increased (unsubsidized) page charges for the extra pages.
• Complete mtDNA sequences will no longer be published in GENETICS. Relevant comparisons will be published if an accession number for the sequence in question is supplied.
• Authors must indicate that an unpublished sequence will be made available on disk or as hard copy to anyone requesting it.

Resubmission of Rejected Manuscripts is permitted a single time, unless repeat submission is encouraged by the Associate Editor. When submitting a previously rejected paper to a new Associate Editor, authors must fully disclose the paper's history with the journal. Authors are expected to use the reviewer's comments to revise rejected papers before submitting them anew.

Perspectives contributions are encouraged, but since these articles are scheduled many months in advance and must meet stringent copy deadlines, a Perspectives editor should be consulted well ahead of time. Perspectives articles may not be uploaded electronically. Authors receive free offprints and page charges are waived. The editors are

Genetics Education articles provide a scholarly forum for persons who have created new teaching instruments in their roles as educators. Authors are invited to submit articles that focus on effective ways for students at all levels to learn principles of genetics and to appreciate the implications of research in genetics. Genetics Education articles should be uploaded electronically. The editor is

Notes are intended for the presentation of brief observations that do not warrant full-length articles. Submit Notes as you would a full-length article (including electronically); they will receive the same review. They are not considered preliminary communications but should complete the study.

• Each Note must have an abstract of 50 or fewer words.
• Do not use section headings in the body of the Note; report introduction, results, and discussion in a single section. Level 3 headings are permissible.
• The text should be kept to a minimum and if possible should not exceed 1000 words; the number of figures and tables should also be kept to a minimum.
• Materials and methods should be described in the figure legends or table footnotes.
• Place acknowledgments at the end without a heading.
• The Literature Cited section is identical to that of full-length articles.

Letters to the Editor dealing with research and theory in basic genetics or with social issues of particular interest to geneticists are welcomed. Letters to the Editor should be uploaded electronically. Constructive comments on the subjects of articles from recent issues of GENETICS are appropriate. Figures, complex tables, and complex mathematical formulas should be avoided. The Editorial Board will choose to publish those letters it considers most pertinent to the interests of the readers.

Articles will be examined by one or more reviewers selected for their competence in the subject matter of the article. Acceptance will be based on scientific merit, clarity of expression, objectivity of writing, and suitability for GENETICS. An article may be accepted in its original form or subject to revision by the author. The reviewers’ comments will be provided to the author. Reviewers will not be identified except at their own request.

Manuscripts will not be returned to authors unless requested by the corresponding author at the time of submission.

Each published article will show the date that the original manuscript was received and the date that the final version was accepted at the GENETICS Editorial Office.

Upon acceptance, authors are required to upload accepted manuscript and figure source files to the Genetics online manucsript processing system, BenchPress. Until these files are received, your paper is not considered in production. Detailed instructions are found in the acceptance letter emailed by the associate editor handling your manuscript.

When uploading accepted manuscripts, Microsoft Word, TEX, and LaTex files are acceptable. RTF format and PDF are not acceptable.

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Electronic images must be provided, separate from the text. Art files must conform to the following minimum resolution specifications: • grayscale and color images: 300 dpi • combination grayscale and color images: 500–900 dpi • line art (Bitmap) images: 900–1200 dpi.

Suggestions for Preventing the Return of a Manuscript

While manuscripts with perfect format are unprecedented and many errors can easily be corrected by the Copyeditor, the following suggestions are likely to prevent a manuscript from being returned to the author for correction after it has passed scientific review but before it can be sent to the printer:

• Use double spacing everywhere to provide space for the copyeditor to write typesetting instructions. This is particularly important in the Literature Cited section and the tables. "One-and-a half" spacing is inadequate.
• Type long tables on several pages. Use wide paper or several standard-size sheets joined together for wide tables.
• Distinguish between phenotype and genotype for the reader not well versed in the subject. Italicize genotypes in the text, tables, legend, and figures. Because figures are reproduced photographically, genotypes in figures must be presented in italics. The genotype consists of gene names and allele designations; chromosome numbers or names need not be in italic type. Strain names should be presented in roman unless the strain designation is the same as the genotype.

Because the discoveries of science require continual verification, and progress in science depends so strongly upon prior investigations, it is crucial that key research materials developed by one scientist be made readily available to others. By publishing in GENETICS, authors describing unique research materials agree to provide them at reasonable cost to colleagues who request them. Examples of unique research materials are strains, gene clones, antibodies (including cell lines producing monoclonal antibodies), and computer programs. A colleague is any active investigator, whether or not in training. The donor may require the recipient to agree neither to use such materials for commercial purposes nor to transfer them to a third party without the consent of the donor.

Authors are invited to deposit large data sets and other supplements to published articles on our website at http://www.genetics.org/supplemental. The supplement will be cited in the published article. Access to supplements is provided to all readers, not just subscribers. For more information, please contact the Editorial Office.

• The corresponding author will receive page proofs, the offprint order form, and proofreading instructions electronically as a PDF, via email.
• Proofs must be printed (single, not double, sided), corrected, and mailed to the printer within 2 days after receipt using a trackable express service.
• The article number must accompany all correspondence and appear on page 1 of the proof.
• The article may be delayed to a later issue if the corrected proofs are not returned promptly.
• The entire article should be proofread carefully, with extra attention to equations and symbols.
• All corrections must be sent together, simultaneously; additional corrections may cause extra charges and delay in publication.
• The original manuscript or figures can be returned to the author after publication, but such a request must be made before the manuscript has appeared in print.
• "Notes added in proof" require editorial approval. A copy should be sent to the Editor at the same time that proofs are returned to the printer to avoid postponing the article to a later issue.

• Page charges are $65 per printed page for Genetics Society members, and $80 per printed page for non-members. While no article will be refused because of an author's inability to pay page charges, authors citing grant support are assumed to have the resources. Authors who lack the requisite funds should explain their situation when submitting a manuscript.
• Members of the Genetics Society of America will pay $100 for each color figure in an article, while nonmembers will be charged $400 for the first color figure and $250 for each subsequent color figure in an article.
• Authors are expected to pay all the extra costs of printing and handling an article that are made necessary by author alterations—changes in galley proof not due to printer’s error—or by changes made necessary because the printer could not interpret the author’s intention owing to poorly prepared copy, incorrect file formatting, extra rounds of corrections, or inadequately organized tables. Such charges will not be waived.
• Offprint order blanks will be sent to the author with the proofs. A price schedule is included on the order blank; it is also available from the GENETICS Editorial Office
• All charges will be billed on one invoice soon after the article has been printed.

Manuscripts must be uploaded electronically at http://submit.genetics.org or submitted to the Editorial Office:

Correspondence regarding manuscripts may be sent directly to an appropriate member of the Editorial Board