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From Possum
What is POSsum?
The POSsum initiative aims for a universal file-based exchange format for various biological datatypes. POSsum was started at the beginning of 2005 and was born out of frustration on the huge diversity in data file standards within the field of genetics. Genetical analysis software packages are typically fed with raw data in flat file format, from which the format tends to be specific and unique for each individual package.
The aim to create a universal data standard has grown to the ambition of the current POSsum project: a file system, resembling the Acrobat PDF format and reader software to visualize the contents. The main present focus is on genetical data types such as:
- Raw genotyping data
- Locus segregation data
- Recombination frequencies & LOD scores
- Genetic distances
- Genetic maps
- Dendrograms
- QT phenotypic data
- Pedigree structures
The ultimate POSsum goal is to work in collaboration with similar data standard initiatives towards a universal system for all "omics" data types, truly enabling the combination of data types from different biological disciplines.
