ToxoDB: an integrated Toxoplasma gondii database resource

Abstract

ToxoDB (http://ToxoDB.org) is a genome and functional genomic database for the protozoan parasite Toxoplasma gondii. It incorporates the sequence and annotation of the T. gondii ME49 strain, as well as genome sequences for the GT1, VEG and RH (Chr Ia, Chr Ib) strains. Sequence information is integrated with various other genomic-scale data, including community annotation, ESTs, gene expression and proteomics data. ToxoDB has matured significantly since its initial release. Here we outline the numerous updates with respect to the data and increased functionality available on the website.

Figure 1.

Screenshots showing the flow of a query in ToxoDB. From the Query & Tools page, users can go to particular queries for expression evidence (EST or Mass Spec Evidence), to the Results page where they can sort, manage (add or delete) columns of data and open gene pages. The Query History page permits users to manipulate previous queries including combining them and/or downloading the resulting data. Individual genes are listed on the Gene Results page and each gene has its own gene page, illustrated here by the gene encoding elongation factor 1-alpha. The gene page summarizes all information that is available for a gene including gene model predictions, SNPs, BLAST similarities, protein domains, ESTs, proteomic evidence of expression and microarray expression analyses.