BOLD (Barcode of Life Data System)
Definition
A curated online reference database of barcode sequences maintained by the University of Guelph, Canada. Each entry includes a voucher specimen, taxonomic identification, and collection data. BOLD is the preferred database for species-level barcoding queries because of its curation standards and provenance records.
- Maintained by
- University of Guelph, Canada
- Content
- Curated barcode sequences with voucher specimens
- Includes
- Taxonomic identification and collection data per entry
- Use case
- Species-level identification from a DNA barcode query
Common questions
Why is BOLD preferred over GenBank for species identification?+
BOLD entries are tied to a physical voucher specimen and documented collection data, so a match can be traced back to a verifiable, curated source. GenBank accepts a wider range of submissions with less consistent curation, which raises the chance of misidentified or mislabelled reference sequences affecting a match.
What gene region does BOLD typically use for animal barcoding?+
BOLD is built primarily around the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) gene for animals, which has proven effective for species-level discrimination across a wide range of taxa, though plants and fungi require different marker regions not centred on COI.
Related terms
- CITES
- The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, a multilateral treaty signed in 1973 now with over...
- COI (Cytochrome Oxidase Subunit I)
- The primary barcode gene for the animal kingdom under the Barcode of Life initiative. A 648-bp region within the COI gene is...
- Cytochrome B (Cyt B)
- A mitochondrial protein-coding gene widely used in forensic species identification before COI barcoding was standardised. Still used because its reference database for...
- 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...
- Species Identification Threshold
- The minimum sequence similarity percentage at which a database match is accepted as a species-level assignment. Forensic laboratories typically require 98 to...