2023/06/27 by Rebecca Varney · 1 voice
Environmental Science · Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology · #Environmental DNA in Biodiversity Studies #Microbial Community Ecology and Physiology #Genomics and Phylogenetic Studies
paper · doi:10.1093/icb/icad082
openalex publication_date 2023/06/27 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/31
Genome sequencing becomes more accessible and powerful every year, but there is a lack of consensus on what information should be provided in publications that include genomic data. The result is a flood of sequencing data without a framework to evaluate its quality and completeness, hindering reproducibility. In non-model taxa in marine systems, a lack of detail in methods sections often hinders future researchers from adopting improved techniques, leaving them to repeat costly protocols and take up computational (wall) time with programs that are already known to fail. Here, I present a set of guidelines tailored for marine taxa (emerging model organisms) to promote consistency between publications, increase transparency of sequencing projects, and preserve the value of sequence data as sequencing technologies advance. Included is a checklist to (1) guide authors toward including more detailed information in their manuscripts, (2) expand data availability, and (3) assist reviewers to thoroughly vet methods and results of future 'omic publications. This set of guidelines will support the usefulness of 'omic data in future analyses by providing a framework to document and evaluate these data, leading to transparent and reproducible genomics research on emerging marine systems.