6. Data Release & Policy Guide
This section provides guidance on how BioProjects and their associated data are released in K-BDS, what status terms mean, how release policies are defined according to international standards (e.g., INSDC), and how to align your data release strategy with best practices from other archives such as DDBJ, EBI, and NCBI.
Data Release Workflow in K-BDS
In K-BDS, data release does not occur immediately after submission. Instead, it follows a multi-stage process involving validation, curation, and coordinated approval of all linked records.
Overall Workflow
BioProject submission: The top-level project is created and metadata are provided.
Associated data registration: BioSample, raw data (KRA), assembled sequences (KNA), processed or generalist data (GeNA), and other records are submitted and linked.
Curation and validation: Curators review all submissions for completeness, metadata accuracy, and linkage integrity.
Approval: Once all linked records are validated, the BioProject and associated data become eligible for release.
Release: Data are made public according to the release schedule you selected during submission.
✨ Important: A BioProject cannot be released if any associated submission is still pending or under review. All linked data must pass validation and be approved before public release.
INSDC Status Definitions
KBDS follows the INSDC (International Nucleotide Sequence Database Collaboration) standards for defining the release status of data. These status terms are critical for understanding the availability and accessibility of your submissions.
public
The data have been approved, released, and are publicly accessible.
private
The data have been submitted but are not yet public (e.g., under review, awaiting release date, or pending approval).
suppressed
The data were previously public but have been temporarily withdrawn by the submitter or curator (e.g., due to errors or compliance issues).
confidential
The data are restricted due to ethical, legal, or privacy constraints and cannot be made public.
📎 Reference: INSDC Status Document
📎 Reference: Status document
Release Options in K-BDS
When submitting a BioProject, you can choose how and when the record and associated data will be released.
1. Release immediately upon curation
Data will be released shortly after passing validation and curator review.
Recommended when early public access is beneficial to the community.
2. Release on a specific date
You can set a future release date (e.g., to align with manuscript publication).
The BioProject will be released either on that date or when any linked data referencing the BioProject is released — whichever occurs first.
Conditional or controlled release
Some data (e.g., human-derived, clinical, or sensitive datasets) may require additional approvals or controlled access before release.
These submissions will remain confidential until all ethical, legal, or institutional requirements are met.
💡 Tip: Plan your release strategy early — for example, coordinate your release date with journal submission timelines or collaborative project milestones.
External Policies and Best Practices
Understanding how other major international databases handle release policies can help you align your strategy with global standards. Below are some key references:
📘 DDBJ Release Policy Highlights
BioProject, BioSample, and sequence submissions follow a similar curation and release workflow.
Submitters can select immediate, scheduled, or embargoed release.
Human data or sensitive datasets require additional review.
Once released, data become part of the INSDC shared repository and are automatically mirrored across partner databases (DDBJ/ENA/GenBank).
🔗 DDBJ FAQ: BioProject / BioSample / Sequence Release
📘 EBI and NCBI Practices
Both ENA (EBI) and NCBI follow the same INSDC standards.
Projects are often released automatically when linked datasets become public.
Controlled access (e.g., human genomic data) requires special agreements or additional layers of authorization.
Special Considerations for Sensitive or Controlled Data
Certain types of data may require additional approvals or undergo special handling before release:
Human or clinical data: Must comply with ethical guidelines and may require controlled access mechanisms.
Intellectual property-sensitive data: May require embargo or delayed release until patent filings are complete.
Collaborative project data: Release timing may depend on consortium agreements or coordinated publication schedules.
💡 Tip: Clearly indicate any special release requirements during submission to avoid delays. Include relevant ethics approvals, consent statements, or embargo justifications in your metadata.
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