INSDC

INSDC, the International Nucleotide Sequence Database Collaboration, is a joint initiative among three major public nucleotide sequence databases: GenBank at the U.S. National Library of Medicine/NCBI, the European Nucleotide Archive (ENA) at EMBL-EBI, and the DNA Data Bank of Japan (DDBJ). The collaboration coordinates submission, storage, and dissemination of nucleotide sequencing information to provide a single, globally accessible resource for researchers and public health agencies.

The INSDC maintains daily data exchange and synchronization among the three member databases. It operates a common data model and accessioning system, and defines shared formats and controlled vocabularies to ensure interoperability and long-term accessibility.

Records include nucleotide sequences, associated annotations, reference links, taxonomy, and metadata describing samples and projects. Each record is assigned a unique accession number; records are mirrored across the three archives so that data remains accessible even if one node is temporarily unavailable.

Researchers submit data through submission tools such as BankIt for GenBank, Webin for ENA, and DDBJ's submission interfaces. Submissions enter the INSDC data streams and are distributed to partner databases. The collaboration is governed by the three institutions and aims to maintain data standards and long-term availability.

The INSDC framework underpins global nucleotide sequence data sharing, supporting research in genomics, evolution, and clinical sciences by ensuring consistent, durable access.