CisBP-RNA: a web resource for eukaryotic RNA-binding proteins and their motifs

Area of Science:

• Molecular Biology
• Bioinformatics
• Genomics

Background:

• RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) are crucial for post-transcriptional gene regulation.
• Understanding RBP sequence-specific interactions is vital for deciphering gene regulatory networks.
• Existing resources for RBP motif data are fragmented, hindering comprehensive analysis.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and present CisBP-RNA, a centralized, freely accessible database for eukaryotic RBP motif data.
• To provide access to both experimentally determined and computationally predicted RBP binding preferences.
• To facilitate research into post-transcriptional gene regulation by offering comprehensive RBP motif information.

Main Methods:

• Compilation of eukaryotic RBP data from various sources.
• Computational prediction of RBP motifs using homology-based approaches.
• Development of a web-based platform for data access and analysis.

Main Results:

• CisBP-RNA catalogs over 148,000 RBPs across 690 eukaryotic species.
• Motif data is available for over 34,000 RBPs, including both experimental and predicted motifs.
• The database offers tools for scanning binding sites, predicting motifs, and comparing motifs.

Conclusions:

• CisBP-RNA provides a valuable, centralized resource for studying RBP function and RNA metabolism.
• The integration of experimental and predicted motifs enhances the scope and utility of RBP binding preference analysis.
• The database empowers researchers with tools for exploring RBP-RNA interactions and their regulatory roles.