Type genomics: DNA treasure trove in the collection

In their article published in the scientific journal Systematic Biology, the researchers led by lead author Dr Harald Letsch (University of Vienna and State Museum of Natural History Karlsruhe) emphasise the great importance of decoding these genetic codes for biodiversity research and show how state-of-the-art technologies can be used to create ‘digital twins’ of often historical museum specimens. The joint initiative – supported by the three largest natural history museums in Germany and Austria as well as scientists from various disciplines – aims to help preserve these irreplaceable objects for future generations and make the knowledge stored in them globally accessible.

Natural science collections around the world hold an untapped treasure: the DNA of so-called type specimens. For every known species, there is a specimen somewhere in the world – an animal, a plant or a fossil – that was used to officially describe and name that species. These unique and carefully preserved objects in the collections of museums and research institutions are nature's ‘official reference works’. They help researchers to clearly identify and correctly classify species.

‘Type specimens are the foundation of our biological nomenclature and our understanding of species,’ explains the article's lead author, Dr Harald Letsch. ‘By decoding their genomes, we can better understand how species are related to each other, how they have evolved – and how we can protect them.’

But time leaves its mark: many of the type specimens are centuries old, fragile and endangered – by ageing processes, improper storage or natural disasters. Thanks to new sequencing technologies, it is now possible to obtain genetic information even from very old and fragile objects without destroying them.

The scientific team at the Leibniz Institute for the Analysis of Biodiversity Change, the University of Vienna, the Natural History Museum Vienna, the Senckenberg Society for Nature Research, the Museum of Natural History Berlin and other institutions are calling for collection curators and researchers in the fields of taxonomy and genomics to work more closely together in order to harness the great potential of ‘type genomics’ for biodiversity research.

Their appeal is part of a broader movement to digitise natural history collections. Preserving the physical integrity of type specimens often conflicts with the desire to use them for scientific purposes. Any examination of the physical specimen or its loan to other institutions poses risks to these valuable objects. Modern technologies such as high-throughput sequencing based on minimally invasive DNA extraction methods and the creation of so-called ‘digital twins’ offer new solutions to this problem: high-resolution images, morphometric data and genetic information make the characteristics of the type specimens accessible to science without endangering the original specimens.

‘The creation of data-rich, comprehensively digitised collections through projects such as type genomics makes biodiversity information accessible to global research and underscores the value of museum collections as central research infrastructure and living archives of Earth's history,’ emphasises Dr Jenna Moore from the Leibniz Institute for the Analysis of Biodiversity Change (Museum of Nature Hamburg).

‘Technologies such as high-resolution imaging and minimally invasive DNA extraction are changing everything,’ adds Dr Steffen Pauls from the Senckenberg Research Institute and Natural History Museum in Frankfurt and senior author of the study. "We can obtain uniquely large amounts of data from a single specimen – and then share this information globally without putting any further strain on the original.

To promote collaboration between curators, taxonomists and genome researchers, the team is developing a strategy to maximise data extraction from type specimens while minimising the impact of DNA extraction and other museum analysis procedures. ‘Collaboration is key to optimising both the quality and quantity of data from type specimens. Ideally, a type specimen should only be physically handled once in order to obtain as much information as possible,’ says Pauls.

Museum networks and standardised DNA extraction protocols could ensure that genomic data from type specimens are available worldwide in the future. Dr Iker Irisarri from the Leibniz Institute for the Analysis of Biodiversity Change and the Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (MNCN-CSIC) in Madrid emphasises: ‘The creation of networked catalogues of natural history collections can accelerate the description of new species and specifically support the conservation of biodiversity – provided that the relevant genome data is openly accessible.’

Dr Harald Letsch is convinced: ‘The provision of genomic information from type specimens is a decisive step in the digital transformation of natural history collections. With collective expertise and modern technology, we can revolutionise research and preserve biological knowledge for future generations.’

Publication:

Harald Letsch et al., Type genomics: a Framework for integrating Genomic Data into Biodiversity and Taxonomic research, Systematic Biology, Volume 74, Issue 6, November 2025, Pages 1029–1044

https://doi.org/10.1093/sysbio/syaf040