BOLD v4: A Centralized Bioinformatics Platform for DNA-based Biodiversity Data
Abstract
BOLD, the Barcode of Life Data System, supports the acquisition, storage, validation, analysis, and publication of DNA barcodes, activities requiring the integration of molecular, morphological, and distributional data. Its pivotal role in curating the reference library of DNA barcodes, coupled with its data management and analysis capabilities, make it a central resource for biodiversity science. It enables rapid, accurate identification of specimens and also reveals patterns of genetic diversity and evolutionary relationships among taxa. Launched in 2005, BOLD has become an increasingly powerful tool for advancing understanding of planetary biodiversity. It currently hosts 17 million specimen records and 14 million barcodes that provide coverage for more than a million species from every continent and ocean. The platform has the long-term goal of providing a consistent, accurate system for identifying all species of eukaryotes. BOLD's integrated analytical tools, full data lifecycle support, and secure collaboration framework distinguish it from other biodiversity platforms. BOLD v4 brought enhanced data management and analysis capabilities as well as novel functionality for data dissemination and publication. Its next version will include features to strengthen its utility to the research community, governments, industry, and society-at-large.
Cite
@article{arxiv.2404.05696,
title = {BOLD v4: A Centralized Bioinformatics Platform for DNA-based Biodiversity Data},
author = {Sujeevan Ratnasingham and Catherine Wei and Dean Chan and Jireh Agda and Josh Agda and Liliana Ballesteros-Mejia and Hamza Ait Boutou and Zak Mohammad El Bastami and Eddie Ma and Ramya Manjunath and Dana Rea and Chris Ho and Angela Telfer and Jaclyn McKeowan and Miduna Rahulan and Claudia Steinke and Justin Dorsheimer and Megan Milton and Paul D. N. Hebert},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2404.05696},
year = {2024}
}