Quality control in databanks for molecular biology

Using a scientific measurement without an estimate of its error is like len ding money to a stranger. Given the explosion in nucleic acid and protein s equence and structural data, what risks are the scientific and medical comm unities running in using these databases. Is there an 'ombudsman' who speak s for the users of the data? CODATA, the Committee on Data for Science and Technology of the International Council of Scientific Unions was establishe d to improve the quality, reliability, processing, management, and accessib ility of data for science and technology. The CODATA Task Group on Biologic al Macromolecules has surveyed quality control procedures of archival datab anks in molecular biology. Our role is 'to advise, to be consulted, and to warn.' This report describes the kinds and extents of errors that may appea r in nucleic acid and protein databases, and presents an agenda for future work to improve the quality of these databases, The results of the survey a ppear on the web (http://www.codata.org/codata/tgreports/tg_reps,html). Bio Essays 22:1024-1034, 2000. (C) 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.