DNA and identifications

[W.Wuster]

On Sat, 16 Jan 1999, Regis Courtecuisse wrote:

> Dear all,
>=20
>     The necessity of having a complete set of DNA sequences for compariso=
n is
> of course one important problem (far from being solved as Thomas suggests=
).
>     But the accuracy of the identifications made to create this DNA seque=
nces
> database is another crucial point.=20

Couldn't agree more. GenBank, for instance is replete with sequences
with out-dated names, non-existent names, and sequences that are very
probably from other taxa than those stated (e.g., where a species was
split, one of the resulting species is common and frequently researched,
but the name given is that of the old species name, which now refers to
another species).=20

--
Dr. Wolfgang W=FCster  -  Research Fellow
School of Biological Sciences    Voicemail: +44 1248 382301
University of Wales              Fax: +44 1248 371644
Bangor LL57  2UW                 E-mail: w.wuster at bangor.ac.uk
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