The critical importance of vouchers in genomics

eLife

Brant C Faircloth¹  Prosanta Chakrabarty²  Robert C Sanders³  Janet C Buckner³ 

[1] Museum of Natural Science and Department of Biological Sciences, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, United States;Museum of Natural Science and Department of Biological Sciences, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, United States;Carleton University, Ottawa, Canada;American Museum of Natural History, New York, United States;Museum of Natural Science, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, United States;

关键词: genomics;    evolution;    natural history;    museums;    taxonomy;    science forum;    None;   

DOI  :  10.7554/eLife.68264

来源: eLife Sciences Publications, Ltd

【 摘 要 】

A voucher is a permanently preserved specimen that is maintained in an accessible collection. In genomics, vouchers serve as the physical evidence for the taxonomic identification of genome assemblies. Unfortunately, the vast majority of vertebrate genomes stored in the GenBank database do not refer to voucher specimens. Here, we urge researchers generating new genome assemblies to deposit voucher specimens in accessible, permanent research collections, and to link these vouchers to publications, public databases, and repositories. We also encourage scientists to deposit voucher specimens in order to recognize the work of local field biologists and promote a diverse and inclusive knowledge base, and we recommend best practices for voucher deposition to prevent taxonomic errors and ensure reproducibility and legality in genetic studies.

【 授权许可】

CC BY