BGFD: an integrated multi-omics database of barley gene families

A gene family comprises a group of genes with similar functional domains that play various roles in plant growth, development, and responses to environmental stimuli. Barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) is the fourth most cultivated cereal crop worldwide, and it is an important model species for genetic studies. Systematic identification and annotation of gene families are key for studies of molecular function and evolutionary history.

We constructed a multi-omics database containing 5593 genes of 77 gene families called the Barley Gene Family Database (BGFD: http://barleygfdb.com ). BGFD is a free, user-friendly, and web-accessible platform that provides data on barley family genes. BGFD provides intuitive visual displays to facilitate studies of the physicochemical properties, gene structure, phylogenetic relationships, and motif organization of genes. Massive multi-omics datasets have been acquired and processed to generate an atlas of expression pattern profiles and genetic variation in BGFD. The platform offers several practical toolkits to conduct searches, browse, and employ BLAST functions, and the data are downloadable.

BGFD will aid research on the domestication and adaptive evolution of barley; it will also facilitate the screening of candidate genes and exploration of important agronomic traits in barley.