RNAcentral: a comprehensive database of non-coding RNA sequences

Area of Science:

• Bioinformatics
• Genomics
• Molecular Biology

Background:

• RNAcentral aggregates non-coding RNA (ncRNA) sequence data from diverse specialized resources.
• It serves as a unified access point for various ncRNA types across all organisms.

Purpose of the Study:

• To enhance RNAcentral by integrating more data resources and improving website functionalities.
• To provide a comprehensive and accessible platform for ncRNA research.

Main Methods:

• Integration of data from 12 new specialized ncRNA resources, bringing the total to 22.
• Inclusion of new data types, including modified nucleotides from MODOMICS and PDB.
• Development of species-specific identifiers for unique RNA sequences within a species context.

Main Results:

• RNAcentral now includes data from 22 collaborating databases.
• New data types like modified nucleotides have been incorporated.
• Enhanced website features include improved text and sequence similarity searches and genome browsing.

Conclusions:

• RNAcentral provides a continuously improving, free resource for accessing and analyzing ncRNA sequences.
• The database facilitates ncRNA research through comprehensive data aggregation and advanced search capabilities.