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MIxS Checklist · ERC000011

ENA default sample checklist

Minimum information required for the sample

30 fields2 requiredmixsv1.0.0
SeqDesk offers this GSC MIxS environment checklist when you define studies and samples, so contributors enter exactly the metadata the standard expects. The catalog is kept in sync with the upstream GSC MIxS / ENA checklist definitions (registry v2), last updated 2026-06-03, and is published through our registry API. Source: https://www.ebi.ac.uk/ena/browser/view/ERC000011.

Part and developmental stage of organism

cell_typeOptional
cell_type

cell type from which the sample was obtained

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dev_stageOptional
dev_stage

if the sample was obtained from an organism in a specific developmental stage, it is specified with this qualifier

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germlineOptional
germline

the sample described presented in the entry has not undergone somatic genomic rearrangement as part of an adaptive immune response; it is the unrearranged molecule that was inherited from the parental germline

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tissue_libOptional
tissue_lib

tissue library from which sample was obtained

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tissue_typeOptional
tissue_type

tissue type from which the sample was obtained

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Collection event information

isolation_sourceOptional
isolation_source

describes the physical, environmental and/or local geographical source of the biological sample from which the sample was derived

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lat_lonOptional
lat_lon

geographical coordinates of the location where the specimen was collected

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collected_byOptional
collected_by

name of persons or institute who collected the specimen

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collection dateRequired
collection_date

The date the sample was collected with the intention of sequencing, either as an instance (single point in time) or interval. In case no exact time is available, the date/time can be right truncated i.e. all of these are valid ISO8601 compliant times: 2008-01-23T19:23:10+00:00; 2008-01-23T19:23:10; 2008-01-23; 2008-01; 2008.

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geographic location (country and/or sea)Required
geographic_location_country_and_or_sea

The location the sample was collected from with the intention of sequencing, as defined by the country or sea. Country or sea names should be chosen from the INSDC country list (http://insdc.org/country.html).

select287 options
geographic location (region and locality)Optional
geographic_location_region_and_locality

The geographical origin of the sample as defined by the specific region name followed by the locality name.

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identified_byOptional
identified_by

name of the expert who identified the specimen taxonomically

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sample collection

environmental_sampleOptional
environmental_sample

identifies sequences derived by direct molecular isolation from a bulk environmental DNA sample (by PCR with or without subsequent cloning of the product, DGGE, or other anonymous methods) with no reliable identification of the source organism

select2 options

Organism characteristics

mating_typeOptional
mating_type

mating type of the organism from which the sequence was obtained; mating type is used for prokaryotes, and for eukaryotes that undergo meiosis without sexually dimorphic gametes

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sexOptional
sex

sex of the organism from which the sample was obtained

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host description

lab_hostOptional
lab_host

scientific name of the laboratory host used to propagate the source organism from which the sample was obtained

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host scientific nameOptional
host_scientific_name

Scientific name of the natural (as opposed to laboratory) host to the organism from which sample was obtained.

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Pointer to physical material

bio_materialOptional
bio_material

Unique identifier that references the biological material from which the sample was obtained and that ideally exists in a curated collection (e.g. stock centres, seed banks, DNA banks). The ID should have the following structure: name of the institution (institution code) followed by the collection code (if available) and the voucher id (institution_code:collection_code:voucher_id). Please note institution codes and collection codes are taken from a controlled vocabulary maintained by the INSDC: https://ftp.ncbi.nih.gov/pub/taxonomy/biocollections/

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culture_collectionOptional
culture_collection

Unique identifier that references the culture (e.g. live microbial and viral cultures and cell lines) from which the sample has been obtained and that have been deposited in curated culture collections. The ID needs to provide an institution code and the culture id, with optional collection code, in the following structure: (-institution_code:(collection_code):voucher_id. Please note institution codes (and optional collection codes) are taken from a controlled vocabulary maintained by the INSDC: https://ftp.ncbi.nih.gov/pub/taxonomy/biocollections/

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specimen_voucherOptional
specimen_voucher

Unique identifier that references the physical specimen that remains after the sequence has been obtained and that ideally exists in a curated collection. The ID should have the following structure: name of the institution (institution code) followed by the collection code (if available) and the voucher id (institution_code:collection_code:voucher_id). Please note institution codes and collection codes are taken from a controlled vocabulary maintained by the INSDC: https://ftp.ncbi.nih.gov/pub/taxonomy/biocollections/

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Infraspecies information

cultivarOptional
cultivar

cultivar (cultivated variety) of plant from which sample was obtained

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ecotypeOptional
ecotype

a population within a given species displaying genetically based, phenotypic traits that reflect adaptation to a local habitat.

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isolateOptional
isolate

individual isolate from which the sample was obtained

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sub_speciesOptional
sub_species

name of sub-species of organism from which sample was obtained

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varietyOptional
variety

variety (= varietas, a formal Linnaean rank) of organism from which sample was derived.

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sub_strainOptional
sub_strain

name or identifier of a genetically or otherwise modified strain from which sample was obtained, derived from a parental strain (which should be annotated in the strain field; sub_strain from which sample was obtained

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cell_lineOptional
cell_line

cell line from which the sample was obtained

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serotypeOptional
serotype

serological variety of a species characterized by its antigenic properties

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serovarOptional
serovar

serological variety of a species (usually a prokaryote) characterized by its antigenic properties

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strainOptional
strain

Name of the strain from which the sample was obtained.

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