upcoming changes to taxon constraints

[balhoff]

Hi all,

A while back we started including “computed” taxon constraints in the ‘go-plus’ version of the ontology (after a previous announcement). These propagate taxon constraints that are inferred via relationships to other GO terms or external terms. Making use of all those taxon constraints still required navigating up the class hierarchy, and sometimes produced confusing redundant inherited constraints. So we are revising the output to simplify usage.

In the next release, every GO term that has a taxon constraint (asserted or inferred) will have it directly related in the released ontology. For example, 'clypeo-labral disc development’ inherits ‘in_taxon Insecta’ from 'imaginal disc development’. In the new version you will see this taxon constraint on both terms, rather than just the parent. This will allow users to easily see the most specific taxon constraint for a term without needing to apply any reasoning. Taxon constraints will be visible in QuickGO and in OLS.

Please let us know if you have any concerns about this change.

Best regards,
Jim