Abstract: The present invention enables accurate identification of organisms by analyzing their DNA sequences and, based on their DNA sequences, assessing classification annotations, such as taxonomic, systematic, or functional annotations. Sequence-based identification of life forms as described herein can be used for diagnostic purposes, for example. Further, the techniques disclosed herein offer advantages over conventional culture-based techniques. Example embodiments are related to methods for assessing classification annotations assigned to DNA sequences of organisms. One example embodiment includes a method of identifying a centroid DNA sequence of one or more organisms. The method includes obtaining a plurality of DNA sequences from one or more organisms, annotating each DNA sequence with a classification annotation, and grouping the plurality of DNA sequences into a plurality of groups.

Abstract: For assessing classification annotations assigned to DNA sequences stored in a reference database, the DNA sequences are grouped by species (S1) using established classification schemes. Subsequently, a measure of distance between pairs of DNA sequences is determined (S41) by aligning (S31) the respective sequences and determining the measure of distance (S41) based on a score of similarity between the aligned DNA sequences. Determined are one or more centroid sequences (S42) which have the shortest aggregate measure of distance to the other DNA sequences in the respective group (species). Assigned to the DNA sequences (S5) as a quantitative confidence level for their classification annotations is in each case the measure of distance between the respective DNA sequence and the centroid sequence.

Abstract: For assessing classification annotations assigned to DNA sequences stored in a reference database, the DNA sequences are grouped by species using established classification schemes. Subsequently, a measure of distance between pairs of DNA sequences is determined by aligning the respective sequences and determining the measure of distance based on a score of similarity between the aligned DNA sequences. Determined are one or more centroid sequences which have the shortest aggregate measure of distance to the other DNA sequences in the respective group (species). Assigned to the DNA sequences as a quantitative confidence level for their classification annotations is in each case the measure of distance between the respective DNA sequence and the centroid sequence. The assessment and rating of the classification annotations with these confidence levels make it possible to provide to a user a quantitative indication of the degree of representativeness of a DNA sequence for a particular species.