The updated RGD Pathway Portal utilizes increased curation efficiency and provides expanded pathway information

Area of Science:

• Bioinformatics
• Genomics
• Pathway Analysis

Background:

• The Rat Genome Database (RGD) Pathway Portal integrates pathway information for multiple species.
• Existing pathway diagrams lacked comprehensive, interconnected data and efficient curation tools.

Purpose of the Study:

• To enhance the RGD Pathway Portal with a novel web application for creating richer pathway diagrams.
• To improve the discoverability and utility of pathway information for researchers.

Main Methods:

• Development of a dual-functionality web application for pathway diagram composition.
• Integration of gene information, genetic data, analysis tools, and disease/phenotype annotations.
• Utilizing a pathway ontology to interconnect pathway elements.

Main Results:

• Enhanced diagram pages with integrated descriptions, diagrams, and linked resources.
• Combined curated pathway objects with extensive gene-specific annotations for rat, human, and mouse.
• Increased information density and accessibility of pathway data.

Conclusions:

• The new application significantly enriches pathway diagram content.
• The RGD Pathway Portal facilitates faster and more comprehensive pathway data dissemination.
• This advancement supports research in comparative genomics and disease pathways.