ITS2 Database V: Twice as Much

Markus J Ankenbrand; Alexander Keller; Matthias Wolf; Jörg Schultz; Frank Förster

doi:10.1093/molbev/msv174

ITS2 Database V: Twice as Much

Mol Biol Evol. 2015 Nov;32(11):3030-2. doi: 10.1093/molbev/msv174. Epub 2015 Aug 6.

Authors

Markus J Ankenbrand¹, Alexander Keller¹, Matthias Wolf², Jörg Schultz², Frank Förster³

Affiliations

¹ Department of Animal Ecology and Tropical Biology, Julius Maximilian University, Würzburg, Germany.
² Department of Bioinformatics, Julius Maximilian University, Würzburg, Germany.
³ Department of Bioinformatics, Julius Maximilian University, Würzburg, Germany frank.foerster@biozentrum.uni-wuerzburg.de.

PMID: 26248563
DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msv174

Abstract

The internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS2) is a well-established marker for phylogenetic analyses in eukaryotes. A reliable resource for reference sequences and their secondary structures is the ITS2 database (http://its2.bioapps.biozentrum.uni-wuerzburg.de/). However, the database was last updated in 2011. Here, we present a major update of the underlying data almost doubling the number of entities. This increases the number of taxa represented within all major eukaryotic clades. Moreover, additional data has been added to underrepresented groups and some new groups have been added. The broader coverage across the tree of life improves phylogenetic analyses and the capability of ITS2 as a DNA barcode.

Keywords: barcoding; database; internal transcribed spacer; phylogeny; sequence-structure; toolbox.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

DNA, Ribosomal Spacer / genetics*
Databases, Nucleic Acid*
Eukaryota / genetics
Internet
Nucleic Acid Conformation
Phylogeny
Sequence Alignment / methods

Substances

DNA, Ribosomal Spacer