DNA workbench: a database package to manage regional physical mapping

Abstract

DNA Workbench (DW) is a client-server database to manage physical mapping data that will form the basis for sequencing and efforts in biologically interesting regions of a chromosome. DW draws maps at different levels of resolution in either of two modes: proportional, when the sizes of objects and the physical distances between them are known accurately or approximately, and nonproportional, when most physical distance information in a region is not available, but order information is. DW interacts with the user primarily through the map graphic. Selection of individual objects on the graphic lets the user inspect and modify the underlying data. DW also manages dependency tracking between map objects and has a rudimentary form of version control. It is currently used to manage information on the DRD2 region on chromosome 11, and on the HOX region of chromosome 17.