Enabling Community Curation of Biological Source Annotations of Molecular Data Through PlutoF and the ELIXIR Contextual Data Clearinghouse

The advancements in sequencing technologies have greatly contributed to the documentation of Earth’s biodiversity. However, for exploring full potential molecular resources biodiversity, there needs be a good linkage between sequence data and its biological source, contributing network connected biodiversity research cycle. This requires foundation well-structured accessible annotations repositories. International Nucleotide Sequence Database Collaboration (INSDC), which European Archive (ENA) is node, holds large amount associated with data, relating source (e.g., specimens natural history collections). number records, these may incomplete missing voucher information), ambiguous or even inaccurate. Therefore, we implemented workflow that allows third-party attached sample records using two existing services, PlutoF platform ELIXIR Contextual Data ClearingHouse. work was developed within scope BiCIKL (Biodiversity Community Integrated Knowledge Library) project, aims establish open science practices domain. an online management also provides computing services biology-related research. features allow registered users enter their own access public at INSDC. Users can manage range as taxonomic classifications, occurrences, etc. includes module addition (on material identification, etc.) linked records. already use by UNITE community annotation INSDC rDNA Internal Transcribed Spacer datasets (Abarenkov et al. 2021). These are displayed National Centre Biotechnology Information (NCBI) through links platform. need automated solution allowed any record operation ClearingHouse (hereafter Clearinghouse). Clearinghouse simple RESTful Application Programming Interface (API) support submission additions improvements current metadata attributes, such information on sources, publicly available resources. enables corrected from databases (such platform) primary shown Fig. 1 consists following steps: i) annotate regularly downloaded NCBI’s E-utilities; ii) proposal created verification notification sent assigned reviewer; iii) reviewer evaluates accepts it rejects comments; iv) if accepted, annotated fields mapped ENA then pushed API. when received reviewed before being displayed. web interface PlutoF, user-friendly effortless reporting corrections Overall, expect this tool contribute enrichment therefore increase resources, enable deliver conservation.