HTS Public Consultation

Last year the Global Genome Biodiversity Network (GGBN, http://www.ggbn.org) has published the GGBN Data Standard, which covers terms related to DNA and tissue samples (https://terms.tdwg.org/wiki/GGBN_Data_Standard, Droege et al. 2016). Many of you were part of the public revision process.

In addition to genomic DNA the development and use of high-throughput next generation sequencing (HTS) have outstripped current plans of SYNTHESYS (http://www.synthesys.info) and GGBN to join natural history (NH) collection data with DNA and tissue collection data. HTS libraries can be considered a preparation of the genetic material of an organism(s), the actual physical molecular representation of a collection/specimen. These libraries come with specific adaptors that limit their transferability to other sequencing systems. They are prepared at great expense, but usually are only used for a single project, whilst a great deal of additional useful information may be available within these libraries. To increase the potential of the HTS libraries to be used for multiple projects they would need to be discoverable and metadata information made available. HTS library searches require the metadata to be queried on specific standardized keywords (by e.g. organism, HTS method etc.).

HTS library parameters already in the GGBN Data Standard have been reviewed and augmented in order to incorporate library metadata of existing as well as future techniques. This is being realized by preparation of use-cases incorporating a range of different HTS techniques (e.g. whole genome shotgun sequencing, RADseq sequencing, single molecule MinIon sequencing).

The result is a set of terms dedicated to library preparation including the pipeline parameters.

Use cases are available in the GGBN Sandbox and will kept stable for at least three years. (http://wiki.ggbn.org/ggbn/Use_Cases_HTS_library_samples) Now we are kindly seeking your help with reviewing the terms and also ask for your general feedback on this initiative. GGBN does not want to reinvent the wheel, but work together with other organisations and initiatives, such as MIxS, GBIF, BOLD, INSDC.

A list of the proposed HTS terms will soon be published here for your review. In the meanwhile please contact support@ggbn.org if you have any questions related to this.