Gene Annotation Easy Viewer (GAEV): Integrating KEGG's Gene Function Annotations and Associated Molecular Pathways

Area of Science:

• Genomics
• Bioinformatics
• Molecular Biology

Background:

• Accurate gene annotation is crucial for understanding biological functions and pathways.
• Existing tools may lack user-friendliness or integration with comprehensive databases like KEGG.
• Non-model organisms and metagenomic data present unique challenges for genome annotation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop an accessible tool, Gene Annotation Easy Viewer (GAEV), for integrating and visualizing gene annotation data.
• To simplify the process of understanding gene function, orthologs, and pathway involvement.
• To facilitate genome annotation for non-model species and metagenomics.

Main Methods:

• Integration of gene annotation data from the KEGG Automatic Annotation Server.
• Development of a user-friendly interface presenting gene name, KO number, ortholog information, and pathway mapping.
• Implementation of direct links to KEGG pathway maps for interactive exploration.

Main Results:

• GAEV generates easy-to-read tables summarizing key gene annotation information.
• Users can visualize gene product interactions within molecular pathways via KEGG map links.
• Successful demonstration of GAEV utility through annotation of the *Daphnia pulex* genome.

Conclusions:

• GAEV provides a gene-centered view of function and pathways, enhancing annotation efficiency.
• The tool significantly facilitates genome annotation for non-model species and metagenomics.
• GAEV offers an accessible solution for researchers without extensive command-line experience.