ALFRED: an allele frequency resource for research and teaching

Area of Science:

• Population Genetics
• Human Genomics
• Bioinformatics

Background:

• Genetic variation is crucial for understanding human populations.
• Databases compiling allele frequencies are essential for genetic research.
• Existing resources may lack comprehensive data or accessibility.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present ALFRED as a comprehensive, web-accessible database of human DNA polymorphism allele frequencies.
• To highlight the breadth and depth of data available in ALFRED.
• To emphasize the utility of ALFRED for anthropological and genetic studies.

Main Methods:

• Curated compilation of allele frequency data from anthropologically defined human populations.
• Data organized into tables for polymorphic sites and population samples.
• Inclusion of links to external genetic and anthropological resources.

Main Results:

• ALFRED contains allele frequency tables for over 663,400 polymorphic sites.
• Data includes 3566 population samples from 710 populations.
• Records link to external databases like dbSNP, PharmGKB, and OMIM.

Conclusions:

• ALFRED provides a large, high-quality dataset for studying human genetic diversity.
• Flexible search and download capabilities enhance data accessibility.
• The database serves as a valuable resource for researchers in genetics and anthropology.