Apollo 3: New Multi-Species Genome Annotation Tool Released
Researchers have released Apollo 3, a new manual genome annotation tool that integrates with the JBrowse 2 genome browser and supports simultaneous editing of multiple species' genomes. It builds on earlier tools like Apollo, Artemis, and Otter, but features a modernized, more scalable architecture. The tool addresses growing demands in genomics for collaborative, multi-species curation workflows.
Apollo 3 is a newly presented manual genome annotation platform designed to work in conjunction with the JBrowse 2 genome browser. The tool allows researchers to manually curate and edit genome annotations across multiple species simultaneously, with support for synteny visualization to help inform annotation decisions. Its design draws inspiration from established tools such as Apollo, Artemis, and Otter, while adopting an updated technology stack intended to improve scalability and performance. Apollo 3 can function as a standalone desktop annotation editor or be deployed on a server to enable real-time collaborative annotation among multiple users. The preprint, posted to bioRxiv, describes the application's architecture, core features, and representative use cases for both individual and team-based genomics research.
What's missing
The preprint has not yet undergone peer review, so independent validation of performance claims and scalability benchmarks is lacking.
What different sources said
- bioRxivCenter
Apollo 3: Multi-Species Genome Curation
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