Format description: overview

General Info

  • The format is organized in multiple individual tables.

  • The only mandatory table is the DNA-Spot/Trace Data core table.

  • All other tables are either recommended for all experiment types, or optional depending on the experiment design and type.

  • Each file must contain a single table.

  • Accepted file formats for storing Tables are txt, csv and tsv.

  • An underscore must be used as a word separator in header field names and column headers to improve readability while not violating common name restrictions in coding environments (dash - may be mistaken as subtraction of variables).

  • Each file has two parts: file header and data columns.

File Header

  • In the file header, each line contains only one field.

  • Header lines are denoted by #. In particular:

    • ## denotes machine readable header lines. These lines must follow the following format ##Key1=Value1 (e.g., ##FOF-CT_version=v0.1).

    • # denotes human readable header lines. These lines should follow the following format, #term: free text description (e.g., #lab_name: name of the lab where the experiment was performed).

    • #^ denotes lines that define optional user specified columns. These lines provide the name of the column header and a description of the column content. Descriptions must be understandable and sufficient to ensure the interpretation and reproducibility of the results. These lines should follow the following format #^term: free text description (e.g., #^optional_column_1: optional column 1 description).

  • Header names must use the underscore as a word separator (e.g., RNA_A_intensity).

  • The file header contains required, conditionally-required, and optional fields.

  • Conditionally-required fields are fields that are required when certains conditions are met (e.g., ##intensity_unit= is required any time an intensity metric is reported).

  • All tables have to contain a mandatory header section.

Mandatory header lines (all tables)

##FOF-CT_version= Data format version number. E.g. v0.2

##XYZ_unit= ​​The unit used to represent the XYZ location of bright Spots in this table. Note: use micron (instead of µm) to avoid problems with special, Greek symbols. Other allowed values are: nm, mm etc.

#lab_name: name of the lab where the experiment was performed

#experimenter_name: name of the person performing the experiment

#experimenter_contact: email address of the person performing the experiment

#description: A free-text, description of the experiment and of the data recorded in this table. This description should provide a clear understanding of the process utilized to produce the data and contain sufficient details to ensure interpretation and reproducibility.

#additional_tables: AddTable1, AddTable2, AddTableN

##columns=(C1, C2, C3, Cn)

Additional mandatory header lines (DNA spot/trace core and RNA tables)

In addition to all of the above,

##genome_assembly= Genome build. Note that the 4DN data portal only accepts GRCh38 for human and GRCm38 for mouse.

#Software_Title: The name of the Software(s) that were used in this case for localizing individual FISH-omics bright Spots and/or to produce three-dimensional (3D) polymeric chromatin Traces.

#Software_Type: The type of this Software. Allowed values: SpotLoc, Tracing, SpotLoc+Tracing, Other

#Software_Authors: The Name(s) of the individual Author(s) of this Software. In case there are more than one Authors, individual names should be listed as follows: Doe, John; Smith, Jane; etc,.

#Software_Description: A free-text description of this Software. This description should provide a detailed understanding of the algorithm and of the analysis parameters that were used, in order to guarantee interpretation and reproducibility.

#Software_Repository: The URL of any repository or archive where the Software executable release can be obtained.

#Software_PreferredCitationID: The Unique Identifier for the preferred/primary publication describing this Software. Examples include Digital Object Identifier (DOI), PubMed Central Identifier (PMCID), ArXiv.org ID etc,.

Data Columns

  • Tables contain required, conditionally-required, and optional columns.

  • Conditionally-required columns are columns that are required when certain conditions are met (e.g., Cell_ID is required any time the experiment involves the identification of Cell boundaries).

  • Column names should use the underscore as a word separator (e.g., Spot_ID).

  • The first column is always either Spot_ID or another relevant ID (i.e., Trace_ID, Cell_ID, etc.). In the DNA-Spot/Trace Data core table, there are eight mandatory columns. All other columns are ordered at user’s discretion.

  • The order of the rows is at user’s discretion.

  • If an optional column does not contain any data (i.e., it is not used), it should be omitted.