The Online Ancient Genome Repository (OAGR) website is online. It’s an open access database created by the University of Adelaide’s Australian Centre for Ancient DNA (ACAD). The website is designed to collect and provide open access to a collection of DNA data from skeletons of ancient humans but also of microbes found in their dental plaque. This will enable scientists and teachers around the world to use these data for research and educational purposes.
ACAD aims to provide instruments for research into ancient DNA in Australia to be a global leader also in the development of techniques for applications concerning genetic evolution, environment and conservation. The Centre collaborated with the University of Adelaide Libraries and eResearch SA in the OAGR project development with the support of the Australian National Data Service (ANDS).
The OAGR website contains a database of ancient DNA sequences available as raw and processed data together with metadata that identifies their origin and production. They come from samples studied at ACAD in collaboration with other research groups. These data will be freely accessible in a searchable format.
To be precise, the data published on the OAGR website are available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) license. It allows to share the data, copying and redistributing them in any medium or format, adapting them to your needs modifying them for any purpose, even commercial. The only clauses require the data creator to be mentioned along with the license and that any changes are indicated.
OAGR will be a unique global resource that will be of great use to the scientific community for various types of research. The data include 125 samples of human beings who lived between 2,000 and 8,000 years ago and lived in various parts of the world. These are individuals of various ages, from infants to adults. In the coming months other data sets are expected to be added.
This database will allow to make comparisons between the DNA of ancient humans lived in different parts of the world or between the DNA of ancient humans and today’s humans. Possible research concern migrations, genetic changes, the medical field and also possible educational applications. The potential to help genetic research is truly remarkable!
