Ontology of RNA Sequencing (ORNASEQ) and its application

Background: Next-generation RNA sequencing is a rapidly developing technology with complex procedures encompassing different experimental modalities. As the technology evolves and its use expand, so does the need to capture the data provenance from these sequencing studies and the need to create new tools to manage and manipulate these provenance stores. Results: Here we used the Ontology for Biomedical Investigations (OBI) and many other ontologies from the Open Biological and Biomedical Ontology (OBO) Foundry as a framework from which to create an application ontology (ORNASEQ: Ontology of RNA sequencing) to capture data provenance for next-generation RNA sequencing studies. Additionally, we provide an extensive real-life sample provenance data set for use in developing new provenance tools and additional sequencing data models. Conclusions: The Ontology of RNA Sequencing (ORNASEQ) provides core terms for use in building data models to capture the provenance from next-generation RNA sequencing studies. The supplied sample provenance data also exemplifies many of the complexities of RNA sequencing studies and underscores the need for potent workflow management systems.