DINeR: Database for Insect Neuropeptide Research.

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Bioinformatics
• Entomology

Background:

• Neuropeptides regulate critical physiological processes in insects, including development and metabolism.
• Characterization of insect neuropeptides is sporadic, hindering comprehensive understanding.
• Advances in post-genomic technologies necessitate a centralized resource for insect neuropeptide information.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a consolidated, standardized, and user-friendly database for insect neuropeptide research.
• To leverage post-genomic technologies for efficient neuropeptide discovery and functional characterization.
• To create a comprehensive resource for insect neuroendocrinology.

Main Methods:

• Development of the web-based Database for Insect Neuropeptide Research (DINeR).
• Curated data collection from published literature on neuropeptide sequences, physiological functions, and receptor locations.
• Incorporation of standardized nomenclature for neuropeptide classification.

Main Results:

• DINeR includes data for 50 neuropeptide families across over 400 insect species.
• Contains approximately 4700 neuropeptide isoform amino acid sequences and over 200 records of physiological functionality.
• Provides neuropeptide family summaries, cladograms, sequence alignments, logos, and receptor binding site images.

Conclusions:

• DINeR offers a standardized and comprehensive resource for insect neuropeptide information.
• The database facilitates research in insect neuroendocrinology and related fields.
• Active maintenance ensures DINeR remains a valuable, up-to-date resource for the scientific community.