BOLD
Definition
Barcode of Life Data System, an international curated database linking COI sequences to verified voucher specimens with collection locality and taxonomic annotation. The primary reference for insect barcoding queries.
- Maintained by
- Centre for Biodiversity Genomics, Guelph, Canada
- Scope
- International curated database with voucher-verified specimens
- Insect marker
- COI (cytochrome c oxidase I) sequences
- Plant markers
- rbcL and matK genes
Common questions
What is BOLD and why would a forensic investigator use it?+
BOLD (Barcode of Life Data System) is an international curated database that links DNA barcode sequences to voucher specimens with verified collection location and taxonomy. Forensic investigators use it to identify insect or plant evidence by matching their DNA sequences against a reference library of known species.
What makes BOLD a reliable source for forensic identification?+
Every sequence in BOLD is linked to a voucher specimen. That means the DNA data is backed up by a physical reference sample that has been taxonomically verified and documented with its collection location. This traceability is essential for forensic evidence.
Can I identify both insects and plants using BOLD?+
Yes. BOLD houses barcode sequences for insects (using COI gene sequences) and plants (using rbcL and matK markers). You query the database with your own sequence and find matches to known species with their geographic origins.
Related terms
- DNA Barcoding
- Species identification using a short, standardised region of the mitochondrial genome. For animals, the primary barcode marker is a 648-base-pair segment of...
- Chloroplast Genome (Plastome)
- A circular, 120-160 kb genome inside plant chloroplasts, present in hundreds of copies per cell. Its high copy number makes it recoverable...
- COI (Cytochrome C Oxidase I)
- A mitochondrial gene encoding subunit I of the respiratory enzyme cytochrome c oxidase. Its intermediate evolutionary rate makes it the primary barcode...
- Cytochrome B (Cytb)
- A protein-coding gene in the mitochondrial genome used widely for vertebrate species identification. Its moderate mutation rate resolves most closely related species...
- matK
- Maturase K gene, located in the chloroplast trnK intron. The second CBOL-approved plant barcode marker, with an approximately 870 bp diagnostic amplicon....
- Morphological Identification
- Species determination based on external or internal physical features. Reliable and cheap for adults and many late-instar larvae, but fails on early...
- rbcL
- A chloroplast gene encoding the large subunit of RuBisCO (ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase). One of the two CBOL-standardized plant barcode loci. Widely amplifiable but...
- Species Complex
- A group of closely related species that are nearly identical in morphology but behaviourally or ecologically distinct. Molecular methods are often the...
- Species Resolution Rate
- The proportion of species-level queries for which the barcoding approach returns an unambiguous species identification rather than only a genus or family...
Explained in these topics
- Molecular Identification of Forensically Important InsectsBarcode of Life Data System, an international curated database linking COI sequences to verified voucher specimens with collection locality and taxonomic annot...
- Plant DNA Barcoding: rbcL and matKBarcode of Life Data Systems: the primary curated database linking barcode sequences to voucher-verified specimens, maintained by the Centre for Biodiversity G...