The Barcode Library
BOLD - Barcode of Life Data Systems
Current Statistics:
973,008 specimens
77,029 species
What is BOLD?
Barcode of Life Data Systems (BOLD) is the go-to site for DNA-based identification. As the central informatics platform for DNA barcoding, BOLD plays a crucial role in assimilating and organizing data gathered by the international barcode research community.
BOLD is an informatics workbench for the acquisition, storage, analysis and publication of DNA barcode records. It bridges a long-standing bioinformatics chasm by assembling molecular, morphological and distributional data.
BOLD is freely available to anyone interested in DNA barcoding. In 2010, its data repository will surpass one million DNA barcode records for around 75,000 formally described species. This vast storehouse of knowledge is being used to identify species and illuminate biodiversity.
It also provides specialized services to researchers, helping them to assemble records that meet the standards for BARCODE designation in global sequence databases.
BOLD is multi-functional:
Visualize |
Interpret |
Identify |
Browse |
Share |
Publish |
BOLD and iBOL
Two iBOL Working Groups are supporting the ongoing development of BOLD:
WG 3.1 is focusing on Core Functionality to ensure that BOLD has the capacity to host sequence records for new barcode regions (plants, protists and fungi) and to reconfigure the platform incorporating new functions, especially an improved user interface and graphics.
WG 3.2 is overseeing the development of several geographically distributed Mirror Sites to strengthen data security and web site functionality.
