GABAC : An arithmetic coding solution for genomic data

Abstract

Motivation: In an effort to provide a response to the ever-expanding generation of genomic data, the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) is designing a new solution for the representation, compression and management of genomic sequencing data: the Moving Picture Experts Group (MPEG)-G standard. This paper discusses the first implementation of an MPEG-G compliant entropy codec: GABAC. GABAC combines proven coding technologies, such as context-adaptive binary arithmetic coding, binarization schemes and transformations, into a straightforward solution for the compression of sequencing data. Results: We demonstrate that GABAC outperforms well-established (entropy) codecs in a significant set of cases and thus can serve as an extension for existing genomic compression solutions, such as CRAM. © 2019 The Author(s). Published by Oxford University Press.