Addressing ERGA Community Feedback: Actions and Plans for Genomes on a Tree (GoaT)

Join us for this month’s ERGA Plenary meeting! On Monday, February 16, at 15:00 CET, Cibele Sotero-Caio, curator of the Genomes on a Tree (GoaT) database, will present an update on this important repository of genome-relevant metadata, including recent developments and efforts to address feedback from its growing user community.

Abstract

Genomes on a Tree (GoaT) is a searchable datastore of genome-relevant metadata for eukaryotic species based on aggregated information on completed sequencing efforts (e.g. assembly metrics) and metadata dispersed across specialised databases (e.g. karyotype, genome size, country lists, etc.). GoaT collates information on sequencing intent and progress across more than 40 Earth BioGenome Project affiliates, including several initiatives under the ERGA umbrella (e.g. ATLASea, DToL, ERGA-Pilot, ERGA-BGE, Yggdrasil).

GoaT generates summary values at species level by collating all existing observations for a taxon. At higher taxonomic ranks, summaries are inferred from aggregation of observed values across descendant taxa. When species-level data are unavailable, GoaT estimates values based on observations from related taxa sharing a common ancestor. On the GoaT web site, estimated values are visualised through colour-coded, thermometer-style icons, allowing users to identify interpolated data and evaluate the suitability of any estimates for their particular use case according to how far up the phylogenetic tree the underlying estimates originate. These inferred values have proven valuable for production genomics, helping to guide the allocation of sequencing resources, as well as informing expectations about genomic features in poorly characterised taxa.

As the GoaT user base continues to expand, the flexible design of the resource does not always align with the expectations or needs of all user groups, particularly non-specialist users. To address this, the GoaT team collaborated with the ERGA communications team to design and disseminate a user survey aimed at:

(1) characterising the GoaT user base among ERGA members,

(2) identifying key challenges faced by users, and

(3) collecting feedback to improve usability and user experience.

Survey insights informed the development of a targeted strategy to address identified issues, clarify common misunderstandings, and produce tutorials and support materials. In this talk, I will present the actions taken in response to ERGA community feedback, outline current plans, and demonstrate how users can engage with the GoaT team to contribute and request content as we work to maximise the usability of the resource.

Speaker

Cibele Sotero-Caio is based at the Wellcome Sanger Institute as part of the Tree of Life Programme, where she works as the curator of the Genomes on a Tree (GoaT) database. She collaborates with the Earth BioGenome Project and other stakeholders to ensure that GoaT metadata can be used to report genome sequencing progress, support large-scale genome production, and assist with prioritisation while preventing duplication of effort across existing sequencing initiatives.

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