BioGRID: A Resource for Studying Biological Interactions in Yeast

Area of Science:

• Bioinformatics
• Systems Biology
• Molecular Biology

Background:

• The need for accessible, curated biological interaction data is crucial for research.
• Existing databases may lack comprehensive coverage or user-friendly tools for data exploration.
• Understanding protein and genetic interactions is fundamental to deciphering cellular mechanisms.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present the Biological General Repository for Interaction Datasets (BioGRID) as a public resource.
• To highlight BioGRID's capabilities in providing curated protein and genetic interaction data.
• To emphasize the database's utility for exploring gene, protein, and biological network functions.

Main Methods:

• Curated collection of protein and genetic interaction data from scientific literature.
• Inclusion of structured experimental evidence codes for data interpretation.
• Development of an intuitive search interface and visualization tools for data discovery.

Main Results:

• BioGRID houses extensive interaction data for major model organisms, including yeast, nematode, fly, zebrafish, mouse, and human.
• Comprehensive literature curation for Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Schizosaccharomyces pombe, with ongoing monthly updates.
• As of September 2015, BioGRID contains approximately 335,400 interactions for budding yeast and 67,800 for fission yeast.
• Integration of a posttranslational modification (PTM) viewer with over 20,100 yeast phosphorylation sites from PhosphoGRID.

Conclusions:

• BioGRID serves as a valuable, freely available public database for the biological and biomedical research communities.
• The database facilitates the discovery of biological functions through curated interaction data and advanced tools.
• Continued curation and expansion of BioGRID support network biology research, particularly in yeast models.