Nature Methods recommends deposition of proteomics data
Starting this month (March 2008), Nature Methods strongly recommends deposition of proteomics data to public repositories before manuscript submission. From the Editorial in the March issue of the journal (Nat. Meth. 5, 209; 2008):
"Several proteomics data repositories are now available that differ in terms of their goals, structure and the formats they accept. They include PRIDE, PeptideAtlas, Global Proteome Machine Database (gpmDB) and the file distribution system Tranche. The newest addition, Human Proteinpedia, is a community-based annotation tool that hosts experimental data (Nat. Biotechnol. 26, 164; 2008).
Importantly, the major database administrators have shown their willingness to work with users and with each other to facilitate data deposition. At this stage, the process can still be labor-intensive, but a repository like PRIDE provides extensive technical assistance. Under the umbrella of the ProteomExchange consortium, the major repositories are also devising ways to share their data in a collaborative fashion, capitalizing on their complementarities to minimize submission hassle while maximizing benefits.
We support these efforts and consider it premature to recommend a particular repository. Rather we will rely on community experience to determine which database or combination of databases emerges as the most useful. However, there are specific features that editors favor. In particular, we like the possibility currently offered by PRIDE and Human Proteinpedia to provide peer reviewers with access to datasets associated with a manuscript before public release, in an anonymous fashion, and to coordinate public release of the data with publication. "
Nature Methods welcomes comments on this Editorial, and the recommendations it makes, at the journal's blog Methagora.
The Nature journals' policies on data and materials availability, including links to editorials on these policies, can be found at the author and reviewers' website.