Data pushing: a fly-centric guide to bioinformatics tools

Bioinformatics tools can be invaluable resources to Drosophila researchers; however, the sheer number of applications and databases can be overwhelming. We present a broad overview of common bioinformatics tasks and the resources used to do them, with a specific focus on resources for Drosophila. The topics covered include: Genome Databases, Sequence Analysis, Comparative Genomics, Gene Expression Databases and Analysis Tools, Function-Based Data and Analysis, Pathways, Networks, and Interactions; and finally, tools to stay current with resources and literature. We also present a compilation of URLs and short descriptions that correspond to the topics and resources mentioned in this review.