Best-practice guidance for Earth BioGenome Project sample collection and processing: progress and challenges in biodiverse reference genome creation.

Lawniczak MKN, Kocot KM, Astrin JJ, Blaxter M, Sotero-Caio CG, Barker KB, Childers AK, Coddington J, Davis P, Howe K, Johnson WE, McKenna DD, Wideman JG, Pettersson OV, Ras V, Santos BF, Subcommittee EBPSaP, ,

Gigascience 14 (-) - [2025-01-06; online 2025-05-29]

The Earth BioGenome Project has the extremely ambitious goal of generating, at scale, high-quality reference genomes across the entire Tree of Life. Currently in its first phase, the project is targeting family-level representatives and is progressing rapidly. Here we outline recommended standards and considerations in sample acquisition and processing for those involved in biodiverse reference genome creation. These standards and recommendations will evolve with advances in related processes. Additionally, we discuss the challenges raised by the ambitions for later phases of the project, highlighting topics related to sample collection and processing that require further development.

PubMed 40440092

DOI 10.1093/gigascience/giaf041

Crossref 10.1093/gigascience/giaf041

pmc: PMC12121479
pii: 8152780