GDBIG: A Pioneering Birth Cohort Genomic Platform Facilitating Intergenerational Genetic Research

High-quality genome databases derived from large-scale, family-based birth cohorts are vital resources for investigating the genetic determinants of early-life traits and the impact of early-life environments on the health of both parents and offspring. Here, we established a genomic platform for the Born in Guangzhou Cohort Study (BIGCS), the Genome Database of BIGCS (GDBIG), which represents the first birth cohort-based genomic database in China and is designed to facilitate intergenerational genetic research. Based on the phase I results of the BIGCS, GDBIG includes low-coverage (∼ 6.63×) whole-genome sequencing (WGS) data and extensive pregnancy phenotypes from 4053 Chinese participants. These participants are from 30 of China's 34 provincial-level administrative divisions, encompassing Han and 12 minority ethnic groups. Currently, GDBIG provides a range of services, including allele frequency queries for 56.23 million variants across two generations, a genotype imputation server featuring a high-quality family-based reference panel, and a genome-wide association study (GWAS) meta-analysis interface for various maternal and infant phenotypes. The GDBIG database addresses the lack of Asian birth cohort-based genomic resources and provides a valuable platform for conducting genetic analysis, accessible online or via application programming interfaces at http://gdbig.bigcs.com.cn/.