Establishing infrastructure for the Australian Tree of Life

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Vision

  • The Australian Tree of Life will provide molecular data for the organisms that are essential to Australia’s future.

  • Digital data and customised data laboratories will allow important species to be studied in intricate detail from molecular to population scales.

  • The way Australian researchers generate and analyse data will be transformed.

  • Rapid new insights will change the way Australia manages biodiversity, agriculture and biosecurity.

GOALS

  • Build a Genome Engine to enable rapid, automated genome assembly, annotation and publication

  • Produce data labs that enhance use of ‘omics resources in biodiversity and biosecurity.

  • Deliver a digital library of molecular data for species relevant to Australia: the Australian Tree of Life.

Purpose

The Australian Tree of Life (AToL) Infrastructure Establishment Project is bridging the gap between the generation of genomics data and applications by accelerating genome assembly, annotation and analysis for species relevant to Australia.

Australia is one of a few megadiverse regions in the world, with around 80 percent of Australia's native species not occurring naturally anywhere else. National strategic plans for biodiversity and biosecurity emphasise the importance of making informed, data-driven decisions to support this unique environment and the primary industries that flourish in it.

Generating genomic data for all relevant Australian species is an immense undertaking. Many current datasets are held offshore, which creates data sovereignty risks and impedes analysis and application of the data. Multiple national efforts are currently underway to sequence species across Australia's tree of life, but the process of transforming raw sequence data into genome assemblies which can be leveraged for downstream analyses can be time-intensive and computationally expensive.

Approach

AToL's Genome Engine will accelerate the assembly and annotation of genomic data. The Australian research community will be provided access to genome assemblies, annotations and published Genome Notes soon after the raw sequencing data has been created.

Applied Data Laboratories will generate actionable information for decision-makers based on genomic resources. For example, a Biosecurity Data Lab will quickly identify notifiable animal viruses in genomic datasets. This will allow researchers, industry and government to harness the power of genomics to inform actions that secure Australia's primary industries, nature, and biodiversity.

Project timeline

June 2024 - June 2026

Project partners

Australian BioCommons is collaborating with Bioplatforms Australia, the University of Melbourne and Minderoo Foundation to deliver the AToL.