Term	Definition
Single-amplified genome (SAG)	Assembled genome in which the DNA sequence is derived from a single microbial cell.
Metagenome-assembled genome (MAG)	Assembled genome from a heterogeneous assemblage of cells; the MAG may represent multiple populations (with minor sequence variants) and thus represents a species-level group rather than a single genetic variant—or strain—that is typically represented by a cultivated isolate.
International Code of Nomenclature of Prokaryotes (ICNP)	Typically referred to as ‘the Code’. The definitive set of rules, principles and recommendations for naming Bacteria and Archaea.
International Committee on Systematics of Prokaryotes (ICSP)	The body that oversees the nomenclature of prokaryotes and supervises the publication of the ICNP. Their Judicial Commission issues opinions concerning nomenclatural matters and revisions to the Code.
International Code of Nomenclature of Uncultivated Prokaryotes (ICNUP)	The Uncultivated Code that will be developed if plan B is adopted to circumscribe nomenclature for uncultivated organisms.
International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology (IJSEM)	The primary journal for publication of descriptions of novel microbial taxa and lists of valid names; also where proposals to rename taxa are submitted. The official publication of the ICSP and the Bacteriology and Applied Microbiology Division of the International Union of Microbiological Societies.
International Sequence Database Collaboration (INSDC)	International coalition of databases comprised of the National Center for Biotechnology Information, the European Bioinformatics Institute and the DNA Databank of Japan.
Genome Standards Consortium (GSC)	The GSC is an open-membership working body that enables genomic data integration, discovery and comparison through international community-driven standards.
Minimal information about a single-amplified genome (MISAG)	Standard developed by the GSC for reporting single-amplified genome assembly quality, completeness and contamination information along with additional metadata.
Minimal information about a metagenome-assembled genome (MIMAG)	Standard developed by the GSC for reporting metagenome-assembled genome assembly quality, completeness and contamination information along with additional metadata.
Systematics	Systematics is the study of the units of biodiversity and their relationships. This includes the discovery of the basic units of biodiversity (species), reconstructing the patterns of relationships of species at successively higher levels and building classifications based on these patterns and taxa. This term is often used synonymously with taxonomy.
Taxonomy	The branch of science concerned with the classification, identification and nomenclature pertaining to organisms, in particular.
Nomenclature	A system for giving names to organisms.
Classification	The placement of organisms into groups on the basis of evolutionary relationships as well as similarities and shared qualities or characteristics.
Etymology	In prokaryotic nomenclature, the etymology of a name is the semantic derivation of the Latinized name describing what it was based on.
Protologue	A protologue summarizes the new name, its etymology, the taxon properties and the designated type material for which the microorganism is known.