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Updated: Jan 4, 2026

Biobank for Translational Medicine: Standard Operating Procedures for Optimal Sample Management
Published on: November 30, 2022
GenBank
Eric W Sayers1, Mark Cavanaugh1, Karen Clark1
1National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, Building 38A, 8600 Rockville Pike, Bethesda, MD 20894, USA.
GenBank® is a vast public nucleotide sequence database, updated daily with global partners. Recent enhancements improve usability for viral genomes and pathogen data submission.
Area of Science:
- Bioinformatics
- Genomics
- Molecular Biology
Background:
- GenBank® is a critical public repository for nucleotide sequences.
- It houses over 1.6 billion sequences from 450,000 species, totaling 6.25 trillion base pairs.
- Daily data synchronization with ENA and DDBJ ensures comprehensive global coverage.
Purpose of the Study:
- To report on the current state and recent updates of the GenBank® database.
- To highlight improvements in data submission and management tools.
- To emphasize the collaborative nature of global nucleotide sequence archiving.
Main Methods:
- Data aggregation from global partners including ENA and DDBJ.
- Development and implementation of new software versions (Genome Workbench).
- Enhancements to submission tools (BankIt, viral genome wizards) and taxonomy handling.
Main Results:
- GenBank® now exceeds 1.6 billion nucleotide sequences.
- New Genome Workbench version facilitates GenBank submissions.
- Improved submission wizards for viral genomes and enhanced taxonomy handling for pathogens.
Conclusions:
- GenBank® remains a cornerstone resource for biological research, continuously updated and improved.
- Recent enhancements streamline data submission and improve data quality, particularly for viral and pathogen sequences.
- International collaboration ensures the database's global relevance and comprehensive nature.
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