– ABOUT

Great barrier reef

 

Bioplatforms Australia and the Great Barrier Reef Foundation partnered in 2012 to launch the Great Barrier Reef Framework Data Initiative, also known as the Sea-quence Project. This collaboration aimed to understand coral genetics and their response to climate change, crucial for effective reef management.

The project created an open-access database of coral and symbiodinium genome sequences, along with associated microbial symbiont metagenomics data. Analysis methodologies are publicly available, enabling faster and more cost-effective coral genome analysis. This initiative represents the world’s largest coral genomics sequencing project, aiming to preserve the Great Barrier Reef ecosystem.

Led by Dr. David Bourne from the Australian Institute of Marine Science, the project involved top researchers from Australia and Saudi Arabia, including James Cook University, the University of Queensland, the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority, the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, and the Australian National University. Supported by the Great Barrier Reef Foundation, Rio Tinto, and the Fitzgerald Family Foundation.

OBJECTIVES

The creation of referential data resources of of the Great Barrier Reef aims to:

    • Understand coral genetics and resilience: investigate coral genetic make-up and their responses to climate change to enhance reef management.
    • Provide open access data: generate and share genome sequences and metagenomics data for corals, Symbiodinium, and associated microbes.
    • Facilitate efficient research: enable faster, cost-effective analysis and support hypothesis-driven research through publicly available methodologies and comprehensive sequencing data.

DATA

For further information and to view and access initiative data, please go to the Bioplatforms Australia Data Portal.

GO TO DATA PORTAL

PARTNERS

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Collaborators

  • Dr David Bourne (Australian Institute of Marine Science)
  • James Cook University
  • The University of Queensland
  • The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority
  • King Abdullah University of Science and Technology
  • The Australian National University

Genomics in Sea-quence

The Sea-quence Project, the world’s largest coral genomics sequencing project, has genetically sequenced a whole coral organism for the first time – the coral animal, the tiny plants (zooxanthellae) that live in its tissue, and associated microbes including bacteria and viruses. The project has also sequenced eight other forms of coral, two cultured Symbiodinium (zooxanthellae) species and a suite of additional, coral associated microbes, and are releasing all genomics information publicly to the global research community, which can be accessed at the Bioplatforms Australia Data Portal.

CONTACT US

General Manager – Science Programs

Sarah Richmond – Bioplatforms Australia
srichmond@bioplatforms.com