KEYnet: a keywords database for biosequences functional organization

MitoNuc and MitoAln: two related databases of nuclear genes coding for mitochondrial proteins

Mitochondria, besides their central role in energy metabolism, have recently been found to be involved in a number of basic processes of cell life and to contribute to the pathogenesis of many degenerative diseases. All functions of mitochondria depend on the interaction of nuclear and organellar genomes. Mitochondrial genomes have been extensively sequenced and analysed and the data collected in several specialised databases. In order to collect information on nuclear coded mitochondrial proteins we developed MitoNuc and MitoAln, two related databases containing, respectively, detailed information on sequenced nuclear genes coding for mitochondrial proteins in Metazoa and yeast, and the multiple alignments of the relevant homologous protein coding regions. MitoNuc and MitoAln retrieval through SRS at http://bio-www.ba.cnr.it:8000/srs6/ can easily allow the extraction of sequence data, subsequences defined by specific features and nucleotide or amino acid multiple alignments.

Update of KEYnet: a gene and protein names database for biosequences functional organisation

KEYnet is a database where gene and protein names are hierarchically structured. Particular care has been devoted to the search and organisation of synonyms. The structuring is based on biological criteria in order to assist the user in data search and to minimise the risk of information loss. Links to the EMBL data library by the entry name and the accession number are implemented. KEYnet is available through the WWW at the following site: http://www.ba.cnr.it/keynet.html

MitBASE : a comprehensive and integrated mitochondrial DNA database. The present status

MitBASE is an integrated and comprehensive database of mitochondrial DNA data which collects, under a single interface, databases for Plant, Vertebrate, Invertebrate, Human, Protist and Fungal mtDNA and a Pilot database on nuclear genes involved in mitochondrial biogenesis in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. MitBASE reports all available information from different organisms and from intraspecies variants and mutants. Data have been drawn from the primary databases and from the literature; value adding information has been structured, e.g., editing information on protist mtDNA genomes, pathological information for human mtDNA variants, etc. The different databases, some of which are structured using commercial packages (Microsoft Access, File Maker Pro) while others use a flat-file format, have been integrated under ORACLE. Ad hoc retrieval systems have been devised for some of the above listed databases keeping into account their peculiarities. The database is resident at the EBI and is available at the following site: http://www3.ebi.ac.uk/Research/Mitbase/mitbas e.pl. The impact of this project is intended for both basic and applied research. The study of mitochondrial genetic diseases and mitochondrial DNA intraspecies diversity are key topics in several biotechnological fields. The database has been funded within the EU Biotechnology programme.