1. Bioinformatics growth curves Medline records Computer power DNA sequences 3-D structures

2. Database searching Text or sequence? Syntax Results Links to other resources

3. Problems Amount of data Different formats Lack of annotation Links between databases Quality (e.g. unfinished sequence) Keeping up to date

4. DNA and protein databases Genbank (DNA) EMBL (DNA) Swissprot - fully annotated, so delays in things appearing SCOP - Structural Classification of Proteins SCOP OWL - non-redundant protein database - can be found at HGMP website

5. Search concepts Boolean search - combine terms with AND, NOT, OR. Default is usually AND. Broadening or narrowing search if too few or too many results Proximity search - place quotes round words to specify a phrase Wild cards. Hemo* finds hemoglobin, hemophilus, etc.

6. Entrez Available from NCBINCBI Easy to use Sequence databases, Medline, taxonomy Batch mode to download and work on large datasets Search, review results, add terms to refine search

7. Sequence retrieval system (SRS) Available from EBIEBI Interface to >80 databases Searching/saving results Links to other databases and launch Blast, ClustalW Online help for advanced features Very powerful, needs learning

8. Medical genetics databases Human Gene Mutation Available at UWCMUWCM Mutations in human genes (mostly disease- related) OMIM Available at HGMPHGMP Easy to use - like a big searchable book Definitive clinical genetic information

9. Genome sequence browsers Several labs and websites, different formats Example in UK is EnsemblEnsembl The Golden Path (UCSC) is my favouriteThe Golden Path All human (and other) genome sequence, annotated Easy to get various types of map Various ways of searching the database