8. Submission Questions & Detailed Guidance
This page provides detailed answers to common questions about BioProject registration in K-BDS. It provides additional context, examples, and important policy notes to help you correctly prepare, submit, and manage your projects.
What is a BioProject?
A BioProject is a top-level framework that organizes and links biological data generated from a single research initiative conducted by a research group or consortium. It provides a single entry point for accessing all datasets associated with that research effort — from raw sequencing reads and assembled genomes to proteomics, metabolomics, chemical profiling, bioassay data, bio-imaging results, pre-clinical studies, and more.
By registering a BioProject, all related datasets submitted to K-BDS (e.g., KRA, KNA, KEA) can be connected under one unified record. This allows users to explore and interpret data holistically and within the full scientific context.
The description provided in the BioProject submission is essential — it defines the purpose, scope, and scientific value of your research, helping others understand and reuse your data effectively.
When is BioProject Registration Required?
BioProject registration is mandatory for depositing data into most primary K-BDS archives, including:
KRA (Korea Sequence Read Archive): Raw sequencing reads
KNA (Korea Nucleotide Sequence Archive): Genome assemblies and nucleotide sequences
GeNA (Generalist Archive): Generalist data including annotations, non-standard datasets, and processed data
A BioProject must always be created before or during submission of genome assemblies or other data types. It is assigned a unique accession number (e.g., KAP000001), which must be referenced when registering related BioSamples and experimental data.
What Information Should Be Provided?
You must provide enough information to give other researchers a full understanding of your project:
Project type (defined in BioProject documentation)
A clear and comprehensive project description
Grant or funding information (optional but recommended)
Providing this information improves project discoverability and scientific context.
When Will I Receive My Accession Number?
In K-BDS, a BioProject accession number is issued immediately after successful validation.
Once the submission passes metadata and format checks, the BioProject is automatically registered and assigned an official accession number (e.g., KAP000001)
This means that:
The BioProject is approved automatically upon validation.
The accession number is generated and displayed in real time.
Linked submissions such as BioSample, KRA, KNA, and KEA can be added subsequently using the assigned BioProject ID.
When Will My BioProject Be Released?
In K-BDS, a BioProject can now be released independently of other submissions. Once the BioProject passes validation and registration, it can be released according to the submitter’s selected release option.
However, if any associated biodata (e.g., KRA, KNA, KEA, KSO) are later released while the BioProject or BioSample remains unpublished, the system will automatically update their release status so that they are made public together. This ensures consistency between BioProject, BioSample, and all linked biodata records.
Will K-BDS Curate My BioProject Further?
No. BioProject is a submitter-driven repository. Submitters are responsible for the accuracy, completeness, and scientific quality of their records. BioProject submissions undergo basic validation, but there is no additional curation beyond that.
How Can I Update My BioProject?
Currently, updates or withdrawals require contacting the K-BDS support team. Submitters must email the K-BDS help desk (kbds.help@kobic.kr) with the changes they want to request.
Should I Cite the BioProject Accession in My Paper?
Yes. In K-BDS, the BioProject is the central reference that integrates and organizes all datasets generated from a single research initiative. Citing the BioProject accession number in your publication is strongly recommended — and in many cases required — because it enables other researchers to easily access and interpret all related data through a single entry point.
Including the BioProject citation in your manuscript provides several benefits:
It improves the discoverability and reusability of your data.
It allows readers to explore all associated datasets (e.g., BioSample, KRA, KNA, GeNA) linked under the same project.
It ensures accurate attribution and traceability of your research outputs.
📌 Recommended citation format:
"The data generated in this study have been deposited in the Korea BioData Station (K-BDS) under BioProject accession number KAP000001 (https://kbds.re.kr/BioProject)."
If multiple BioProjects are associated with your study (e.g., for different data types), list all relevant accession numbers in your publication.
How do I Create an Umbrella BioProject?
In K-BDS, users can now create an Umbrella BioProject directly during the BioProject registration process. When selecting the Project Type, choose “Umbrella Project” to designate a higher-level project that groups multiple related BioProjects under one overarching research initiative.
An Umbrella BioProject must be linked to at least two existing BioProject. During submission, you will be prompted to specify the BioProject accession numbers to be associated with the umbrella record. All Umbrella BioProject submissions are reviewed and approved by K-BDS curators to ensure that the linkage and scientific context are appropriate.
📌 Tip: Selecting “Umbrella Project” is recommended only when you intend to organize several BioProjects under a shared research initiative or consortium, framework.
📌 Summary: A BioProject is the cornerstone of data submission in K-BDS. It must always be created first, and it serves as the organizing framework that connects BioSamples, raw data, assembled sequences, functional genomics, chemical data, and more into a single, discoverable research unit.
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