diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 7db7d40..b0c9159 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -472,6 +472,7 @@ ________________________________________________________________
 <details>
 	<summary> <b>Daily Change Log:</b> </summary>
 
+* [2024.8.30] - Added ${N_JOBS} to download scripts with default set to maximum threads available
 * [2024.8.29] - Added `VERSION` file created in `download_databases.sh`
 * [2024.7.11] - Alignment fraction threshold for genome clustering only applied to reference but should also apply to query.  Added `--af_mode` with either `relaxed = max([Alignment_fraction_ref, Alignment_fraction_query]) > minimum_af` or `strict = (Alignment_fraction_ref > minimum_af) & (Alignment_fraction_query > minimum_af)` to `edgelist_to_clusters.py`, `global_clustering.py`, `local_clustering.py`, and `cluster.py`.
 * [2024.7.3] - Added `pigz` to `VEBA-annotate_env` which isn't a problem with most `conda` installations but needed for `docker` containers.
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index e4ca980..0ab5b2e 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ ___________________________________________________________________
 
 ### Announcements
 
-* **Current Stable Version:** [`v2.2.1`](https://github.com/jolespin/veba/releases/tag/v2.2.0)
+* **Current Stable Version:** [`v2.2.1`](https://github.com/jolespin/veba/releases/tag/v2.2.1)
 
 * **Current Database Version:** [`VDB_v7`](install/DATABASE.md)
 
diff --git a/install/download_databases-annotate.sh b/install/download_databases-annotate.sh
index f3e44f4..7e8d5cc 100644
--- a/install/download_databases-annotate.sh
+++ b/install/download_databases-annotate.sh
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 #!/bin/bash
-# __version__ = "2024.6.8"
+# __version__ = "2024.8.30"
 # VEBA_DATABASE_VERSION = "VDB_v7"
 # MICROEUKAYROTIC_DATABASE_VERSION = "MicroEuk_v3"
 # usage: bash veba/download_databases-annotate.sh /path/to/veba_database_destination/
@@ -9,7 +9,8 @@ DATABASE_DIRECTORY=${1:-"."}
 REALPATH_DATABASE_DIRECTORY=$(realpath $DATABASE_DIRECTORY)
 SCRIPT_DIRECTORY=$(dirname "$0")
 
-# N_JOBS=$(2:-"1")
+MAXIMUM_NUMBER_OF_CPU=$(python -c "from multiprocessing import cpu_count; print(cpu_count())")
+N_JOBS=${3:-${MAXIMUM_NUMBER_OF_CPU}}
 
 # Database structure
 echo ". .. ... ..... ........ ............."
@@ -78,19 +79,19 @@ mkdir -v -p ${DATABASE_DIRECTORY}/Annotate/UniRef
 
 wget -v -P ${DATABASE_DIRECTORY}/Annotate/UniRef/ https://ftp.uniprot.org/pub/databases/uniprot/current_release/uniref/uniref90/uniref90.release_note
 wget -v -P ${DATABASE_DIRECTORY} https://ftp.uniprot.org/pub/databases/uniprot/uniref/uniref90/uniref90.fasta.gz
-diamond makedb --in ${DATABASE_DIRECTORY}/uniref90.fasta.gz --db ${DATABASE_DIRECTORY}/Annotate/UniRef/uniref90.dmnd
+diamond makedb --in ${DATABASE_DIRECTORY}/uniref90.fasta.gz --db ${DATABASE_DIRECTORY}/Annotate/UniRef/uniref90.dmnd --threads ${N_JOBS}
 rm -rf ${DATABASE_DIRECTORY}/uniref90.fasta.gz
 
 wget -v -P ${DATABASE_DIRECTORY}/Annotate/UniRef/ https://ftp.uniprot.org/pub/databases/uniprot/current_release/uniref/uniref50/uniref50.release_note
 wget -v -P ${DATABASE_DIRECTORY} https://ftp.uniprot.org/pub/databases/uniprot/uniref/uniref50/uniref50.fasta.gz
-diamond makedb --in ${DATABASE_DIRECTORY}/uniref50.fasta.gz --db ${DATABASE_DIRECTORY}/Annotate/UniRef/uniref50.dmnd
+diamond makedb --in ${DATABASE_DIRECTORY}/uniref50.fasta.gz --db ${DATABASE_DIRECTORY}/Annotate/UniRef/uniref50.dmnd --threads ${N_JOBS}
 rm -rf ${DATABASE_DIRECTORY}/uniref50.fasta.gz
 
 #MiBIG
 mkdir -v -p ${DATABASE_DIRECTORY}/Annotate/MIBiG
 wget -v -P ${DATABASE_DIRECTORY} https://dl.secondarymetabolites.org/mibig/mibig_prot_seqs_3.1.fasta
 seqkit rmdup -s ${DATABASE_DIRECTORY}/mibig_prot_seqs_3.1.fasta > ${DATABASE_DIRECTORY}/mibig_prot_seqs_3.1.rmdup.fasta
-diamond makedb --in ${DATABASE_DIRECTORY}/mibig_prot_seqs_3.1.rmdup.fasta --db ${DATABASE_DIRECTORY}/Annotate/MIBiG/mibig_v3.1.dmnd
+diamond makedb --in ${DATABASE_DIRECTORY}/mibig_prot_seqs_3.1.rmdup.fasta --db ${DATABASE_DIRECTORY}/Annotate/MIBiG/mibig_v3.1.dmnd --threads ${N_JOBS}
 rm -rf ${DATABASE_DIRECTORY}/mibig_prot_seqs_3.1.fasta
 rm -rf ${DATABASE_DIRECTORY}/mibig_prot_seqs_3.1.rmdup.fasta
 
@@ -104,13 +105,13 @@ rm -rf ${DATABASE_DIRECTORY}/mibig_prot_seqs_3.1.rmdup.fasta
 mkdir -v -p ${DATABASE_DIRECTORY}/Annotate/VFDB
 wget -v -P ${DATABASE_DIRECTORY} http://www.mgc.ac.cn/VFs/Down/VFDB_setA_pro.fas.gz
 wget -v -P ${DATABASE_DIRECTORY}/Annotate/VFDB/ http://www.mgc.ac.cn/VFs/Down/VFs.xls.gz
-diamond makedb --in ${DATABASE_DIRECTORY}/VFDB_setA_pro.fas.gz --db ${DATABASE_DIRECTORY}/Annotate/VFDB/VFDB_setA_pro.dmnd
+diamond makedb --in ${DATABASE_DIRECTORY}/VFDB_setA_pro.fas.gz --db ${DATABASE_DIRECTORY}/Annotate/VFDB/VFDB_setA_pro.dmnd --threads ${N_JOBS}
 rm -rf ${DATABASE_DIRECTORY}/VFDB_setA_pro.fas.gz
 
 # CAZy
 mkdir -v -p ${DATABASE_DIRECTORY}/Annotate/CAZy
 wget -v -P ${DATABASE_DIRECTORY} https://bcb.unl.edu/dbCAN2/download/CAZyDB.07262023.fa
-diamond makedb --in ${DATABASE_DIRECTORY}/CAZyDB.07262023.fa --db ${DATABASE_DIRECTORY}/Annotate/CAZy/CAZyDB.07262023.dmnd
+diamond makedb --in ${DATABASE_DIRECTORY}/CAZyDB.07262023.fa --db ${DATABASE_DIRECTORY}/Annotate/CAZy/CAZyDB.07262023.dmnd --threads ${N_JOBS}
 rm -rf ${DATABASE_DIRECTORY}/CAZyDB.07262023.fa
 
 
diff --git a/install/download_databases-classify.sh b/install/download_databases-classify.sh
index 4689b3c..b234167 100644
--- a/install/download_databases-classify.sh
+++ b/install/download_databases-classify.sh
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 #!/bin/bash
-# __version__ = "2024.6.8.1"
+# __version__ = "2024.8.30"
 # VEBA_DATABASE_VERSION = "VDB_v7"
 # MICROEUKAYROTIC_DATABASE_VERSION = "MicroEuk_v3"
 # usage: bash veba/download_databases-classify.sh /path/to/veba_database_destination/
@@ -9,7 +9,8 @@ DATABASE_DIRECTORY=${1:-"."}
 REALPATH_DATABASE_DIRECTORY=$(realpath $DATABASE_DIRECTORY)
 SCRIPT_DIRECTORY=$(dirname "$0")
 
-# N_JOBS=$(2:-"1")
+MAXIMUM_NUMBER_OF_CPU=$(python -c "from multiprocessing import cpu_count; print(cpu_count())")
+N_JOBS=${3:-${MAXIMUM_NUMBER_OF_CPU}}
 
 # Database structure
 echo ". .. ... ..... ........ ............."
@@ -81,7 +82,7 @@ wget -v -P ${DATABASE_DIRECTORY} https://portal.nersc.gov/CheckV/checkv-db-${CHE
 tar xvzf ${DATABASE_DIRECTORY}/checkv-db-${CHECKVDB_VERSION}.tar.gz -C ${DATABASE_DIRECTORY}
 mv ${DATABASE_DIRECTORY}/checkv-db-${CHECKVDB_VERSION} ${DATABASE_DIRECTORY}/Classify/CheckV
 echo "${CHECKV_VERSION}" > ${DATABASE_DIRECTORY}/Classify/CheckV/database_version
-diamond makedb --in ${DATABASE_DIRECTORY}/Classify/CheckV/genome_db/checkv_reps.faa --db ${DATABASE_DIRECTORY}/Classify/CheckV/genome_db/checkv_reps.dmnd
+diamond makedb --in ${DATABASE_DIRECTORY}/Classify/CheckV/genome_db/checkv_reps.faa --db ${DATABASE_DIRECTORY}/Classify/CheckV/genome_db/checkv_reps.dmnd --threads ${N_JOBS}
 rm -rf ${DATABASE_DIRECTORY}/checkv-db-${CHECKVDB_VERSION}.tar.gz
 
 # geNomad
diff --git a/install/download_databases-contamination.sh b/install/download_databases-contamination.sh
index 30c0d6b..2cc5a1e 100644
--- a/install/download_databases-contamination.sh
+++ b/install/download_databases-contamination.sh
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 #!/bin/bash
-# __version__ = "2024.6.8"
+# __version__ = "2024.8.30"
 # VEBA_DATABASE_VERSION = "VDB_v7"
 # MICROEUKAYROTIC_DATABASE_VERSION = "MicroEuk_v3"
 # usage: bash veba/download_databases-contamination.sh /path/to/veba_database_destination/
@@ -9,7 +9,8 @@ DATABASE_DIRECTORY=${1:-"."}
 REALPATH_DATABASE_DIRECTORY=$(realpath $DATABASE_DIRECTORY)
 SCRIPT_DIRECTORY=$(dirname "$0")
 
-# N_JOBS=$(2:-"1")
+MAXIMUM_NUMBER_OF_CPU=$(python -c "from multiprocessing import cpu_count; print(cpu_count())")
+N_JOBS=${3:-${MAXIMUM_NUMBER_OF_CPU}}
 
 # Database structure
 echo ". .. ... ..... ........ ............."
diff --git a/install/download_databases-markers.sh b/install/download_databases-markers.sh
index 185336e..1d715d4 100644
--- a/install/download_databases-markers.sh
+++ b/install/download_databases-markers.sh
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 #!/bin/bash
-# __version__ = "2024.6.8"
+# __version__ = "2024.8.30"
 # VEBA_DATABASE_VERSION = "VDB_v8"
 # MICROEUKAYROTIC_DATABASE_VERSION = "MicroEuk_v3"
 # usage: bash veba/download_databases-preprocess.sh /path/to/veba_database_destination/
@@ -9,7 +9,8 @@ DATABASE_DIRECTORY=${1:-"."}
 REALPATH_DATABASE_DIRECTORY=$(realpath $DATABASE_DIRECTORY)
 SCRIPT_DIRECTORY=$(dirname "$0")
 
-# N_JOBS=$(2:-"1")
+MAXIMUM_NUMBER_OF_CPU=$(python -c "from multiprocessing import cpu_count; print(cpu_count())")
+N_JOBS=${3:-${MAXIMUM_NUMBER_OF_CPU}}
 
 # Database structure
 echo ". .. ... ..... ........ ............."
diff --git a/install/download_databases.sh b/install/download_databases.sh
index fae2c96..1de8f0d 100644
--- a/install/download_databases.sh
+++ b/install/download_databases.sh
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 #!/bin/bash
-# __version__ = "2024.8.29"
+# __version__ = "2024.8.30"
 # MICROEUKAYROTIC_DATABASE_VERSION = "MicroEuk_v3"
-# usage: bash veba/download_databases.sh /path/to/veba_database_destination/ [optional positional argument: /path/to/conda_environments/]
+# usage: bash veba/download_databases.sh /path/to/veba_database_destination/ [optional positional argument: /path/to/conda_environments/ number_of_threads]
 # Version
 VEBA_DATABASE_VERSION="VDB_v7"
 
@@ -12,7 +12,12 @@ SCRIPT_DIRECTORY=$(dirname "$0")
 
 CONDA_ENVS_PATH=${2:-"$(conda info --base)/envs/"}
 
-# N_JOBS=$(2:-"1")
+MAXIMUM_NUMBER_OF_CPU=$(python -c "from multiprocessing import cpu_count; print(cpu_count())")
+N_JOBS=${3:-${MAXIMUM_NUMBER_OF_CPU}}
+echo ". .. ... ..... ........ ............."
+echo "Detected ${MAXIMUM_NUMBER_OF_CPU} available threads"
+echo "Using ${N_JOBS} threads"
+echo ". .. ... ..... ........ ............."
 
 # Database structure
 echo ". .. ... ..... ........ ............."
@@ -33,24 +38,24 @@ echo $VEBA_DATABASE_VERSION > ${DATABASE_DIRECTORY}/VERSION
 echo ". .. ... ..... ........ ............."
 echo "Downloading and configuring database (markers)"
 echo ". .. ... ..... ........ ............."
-bash ${SCRIPT_DIRECTORY}/download_databases-markers.sh ${DATABASE_DIRECTORY} | grep -v "\[partial-database\]"
+bash ${SCRIPT_DIRECTORY}/download_databases-markers.sh ${DATABASE_DIRECTORY} ${N_JOBS} | grep -v "\[partial-database\]"
 
 echo ". .. ... ..... ........ ............."
 echo "Downloading and configuring database (contamination)"
 echo ". .. ... ..... ........ ............."
-bash ${SCRIPT_DIRECTORY}/download_databases-contamination.sh ${DATABASE_DIRECTORY} | grep -v "\[partial-database\]"
+bash ${SCRIPT_DIRECTORY}/download_databases-contamination.sh ${DATABASE_DIRECTORY} ${N_JOBS} | grep -v "\[partial-database\]"
 
 echo ". .. ... ..... ........ ............."
 echo "Downloading and configuring database (classify)"
 echo ". .. ... ..... ........ ............."
 echo "This might take a while depending on source database i/o speed..."
-bash ${SCRIPT_DIRECTORY}/download_databases-classify.sh ${DATABASE_DIRECTORY} | grep -v "\[partial-database\]"
+bash ${SCRIPT_DIRECTORY}/download_databases-classify.sh ${DATABASE_DIRECTORY} ${N_JOBS} | grep -v "\[partial-database\]"
 
 echo ". .. ... ..... ........ ............."
 echo "Downloading and configuring database (annotate)"
 echo ". .. ... ..... ........ ............."
 echo "This might take a while depending on source database i/o speed..."
-bash ${SCRIPT_DIRECTORY}/download_databases-annotate.sh ${DATABASE_DIRECTORY} | grep -v "\[partial-database\]"
+bash ${SCRIPT_DIRECTORY}/download_databases-annotate.sh ${DATABASE_DIRECTORY} ${N_JOBS} | grep -v "\[partial-database\]"
 
 # Environment variables
 echo ". .. ... ..... ........ ............."