Author(s): Aznar, Rosa ; Mistou, Michel-Yves ; Rahi, Praveen ; Legras, Jean-Luc ; Boroduske, Anete ; Stefaniu, Amalia ; Lima, Nelson ; Karagouni, Amalia D. ; Perre, Vincent Van de ; Melo, Ana M. P.
Date: 2025
Persistent ID: https://hdl.handle.net/1822/95042
Origin: RepositóriUM - Universidade do Minho
The current state of prokaryotic nomenclature is increasingly complex, with ongoing debates arising from the rejection of the 2020 proposal to amend the International Code of Nomenclature of Prokaryotes (ICNP) to accept genome sequences as nomenclatural types. This decision subsequently led to the development of the SeqCode, an alternative code based on genome sequences as types for yet-uncultured microorganisms. While advancements in sequencing technology have unveiled vast microbial diversity, the need for a unified nomenclature system remains pressing. MIRRI-ERIC supports fostering consensus among microbial ecologists and microbiologists to maximise the utility of (meta)genomic data, while maintaining rigorous nomenclatural standards is a shared responsibility. MIRRI-ERIC is encouraged by the idea of evolving the ICNP to reflect contemporary research needs. The recent initiative led by Arahal et al. is commendable in its intent to integrate diverse perspectives into the nomenclatural framework. However, MIRRI-ERIC has reservations regarding certain elements of the proposed changes, especially concerning the Candidatus status and the range of acceptable nomenclatural types.
