Accession number (bioinformatics)

Accession number (bioinformatics)

An accession number in bioinformatics is a unique identifier assigned to a biological sequence record to allow for tracking and retrieval. Accession numbers are used by databases such as GenBank, European Nucleotide Archive (ENA), and Protein Data Bank (PDB) to ensure that each sequence is distinct and identifiable.

Overview

Accession numbers are typically alphanumeric and are assigned to each entry when it is submitted to the database. Once assigned, an accession number is never modified or reused, ensuring the integrity and traceability of the data. This allows researchers to access, compare, and analyze the same sequence data over time, even if other aspects of the entry (such as the sequence annotation or the species name) change.

Format

The format of an accession number can vary between databases. For example, in GenBank, accession numbers consist of a two-letter prefix, followed by a series of numbers. In the ENA, accession numbers are composed of a three-letter prefix, followed by a five-digit number. Despite these differences, the purpose of the accession number remains the same: to provide a unique and stable identifier for each sequence record.

Use in Research

In biological research, accession numbers are often included in the methods section of scientific papers to allow other researchers to access the specific sequences used in the study. By providing the accession number, the authors ensure that their work can be replicated and built upon by others in the field.

See Also

• Bioinformatics
• GenBank
• European Nucleotide Archive
• Protein Data Bank