Keemei: cloud-based validation of tabular bioinformatics file formats in Google Sheets.

Area of Science:

• Bioinformatics
• Computational Biology
• Data Science

Background:

• Bioinformatics software requires specific tabular file formats for input.
• Researchers often use spreadsheet programs like Google Sheets for data compilation.
• Data formatting validation is a common bottleneck in bioinformatics workflows.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce Keemei, a Google Sheets Add-on for validating tabular files used in bioinformatics.
• To streamline the process of preparing data for bioinformatics analysis.

Main Methods:

• Developed Keemei as a Google Sheets Add-on.
• Integrated validation for Quantitative Insights into Microbial Ecology (QIIME) and Spatially Referenced Genetic Data (SRGD) formats.
• Designed for easy expansion to support additional bioinformatics file formats.

Main Results:

• Keemei provides a user-friendly interface for tabular file format validation within Google Sheets.
• The add-on supports validation for QIIME sample metadata mapping and SRGD formats.
• The system is designed for straightforward integration of new validation formats.

Conclusions:

• Keemei reduces time and frustration associated with bioinformatics data validation.
• It minimizes common data formatting errors, improving research quality.
• The tool addresses bottlenecks in preparing human-generated data for bioinformatics systems.