Retrieving GPCR data from public databases

Improvements in databases have already impacted GPCR research. The purpose of the review is to give a snapshot of the GPCR data available and provide utility examples. Consequently, this review covers a small set of major databases, including UniProt for proteins, Ensembl for genes, ChEMBL for bioactive chemistry and SureChEMBL for patents. In addition, two portals are outlined, GPCRdb and the IUPHAR/BPS Guide to PHARMACOLOGY (GtoPdb) that are based on expert annotation. The former has an emphasis on structures, sequences, point mutations, analysis tools and visualisation. The latter focuses on endogenous GPCR ligands, pharmacological modulation, approved drugs, clinical candidates and tool compounds. Since data growth is accelerating, those embarking on GPCR projects should not only check databases but also recent journal and patent publications.