The Candida Genome Database: annotation and visualization updates

Area of Science:

• Mycology
• Genomics
• Bioinformatics

Background:

• The Candida Genome Database (CGD) is a unique resource serving as both a model organism and fungal pathogen database.
• Increasing drug resistance in pathogenic Candida species necessitates urgent research into their biology, epidemiology, and potential new antifungals.

Purpose of the Study:

• To enhance the CGD's utility for researchers studying Candida species, particularly in light of rising drug resistance and invasive candidiasis.
• To expand CGD's scope by including data for more pathogenic species like *Candida auris* and *Candida tropicalis*.
• To improve data accessibility and searchability for clinical researchers by linking clinical data to relevant literature.

Main Methods:

• Curating experimental literature, extracting and standardizing gene annotations, and assigning Gene Ontology terms with evidence codes.
• Developing locus pages with detailed gene information, orthologs, phenotype data, and sequence information.
• Linking clinical data on disease to Literature Topics and incorporating community feedback for database development.

Main Results:

• CGD hosts locus pages for five key pathogenic Candida species and serves as a model for biofilm formation and morphogenic switching.
• New gene pages for *Candida auris* have been added, and clinical data is now linked to Literature Topics.
• Community input led to the addition of *Candida tropicalis*, and future challenges include managing high-throughput expression data.

Conclusions:

• CGD is a vital community hub that transforms curated data into accessible knowledge for Candida research.
• The database supports research into Candida biology, pathogenicity, and the development of novel antifungal strategies.
• Continued development and community engagement are crucial for addressing the evolving needs of Candida researchers.