A quick guide for student-driven community genome annotation.

Area of Science:

• Genomics
• Bioinformatics
• Computational Biology

Background:

• High-quality gene models are crucial for molecular and genetic research but are limited to a few extensively curated model organisms.
• Automated annotation pipelines often introduce errors in gene models due to reliance on distant orthologs and draft genome assemblies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To outline an efficient workflow for manual gene model annotation.
• To demonstrate the benefits of involving undergraduate students in community genome annotation projects.

Main Methods:

• Developing a scalable workflow for manual annotation driven by undergraduate annotators.
• Implementing quality control processes through incremental evaluation.
• Facilitating collaboration among students and senior researchers across institutions.

Main Results:

• Successful implementation of a manual annotation workflow utilizing undergraduate annotators.
• Demonstrated scalability of the annotation model for large teams.
• Established quality control mechanisms for improved gene model accuracy.

Conclusions:

• Community genome annotation involving undergraduates is mutually beneficial for education and genomic resource improvement.
• This model provides students with hands-on research experience and enhances their understanding of genome biology.
• The workflow can be adapted for various research communities, enhancing genomic data quality and accessibility.