Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 29, 2026
10:40
Comprehensive Workflow for the Genome-wide Identification and Expression Meta-analysis of the ATL E3 Ubiquitin Ligase Gene Family in Grapevine
Published on: December 22, 2017
The Merck Gene Index browser: an extensible data integration system for gene finding, gene characterization and EST
B A Eckman1, J S Aaronson, J A Borkowski
1Department of Bioinformatics, Merck Research Laboratories, West Point, PA, USA. barbara_eckman@sbphrd.com
Bioinformatics (Oxford, England)
|April 1, 1998
Summary
The Merck Gene Index browser organizes expressed sequence tag (EST) data into gene classes, enabling scientists to mine this information alongside genomic data for enhanced biological insights.
Area of Science:
- Bioinformatics
- Genomics
- Computational Biology
Background:
- Vast amounts of expressed sequence tag (EST) data require organization into gene classes.
- Effective mining of gene class data necessitates integration with related genomic information.
Purpose of the Study:
- To present the Merck Gene Index (MGI) browser, a World Wide Web-based system.
- To enable scientists to mine the MGI and related genomic data.
Main Methods:
- Developed an easily extensible, web-based system.
- Integrated diverse data sources (LENS, dbEST, WashU, Entrez, UniGene) using a federation of relational databases, a data warehouse, and hypertext links.
- Utilized the Bioapps server for flatfile sequence data access and the Bioinformatics Data Integration Toolkit (B-DIT) for data retrieval and formatting.
Main Results:
- The MGI browser provides a non-redundant set of clones and sequences representing distinct genes from EST data.
- Integrated data includes cDNA clone, EST, protein similarity, sequence chromatograms, Entrez, Medline, and UniGene cluster information.
- The system supports generic sequence analysis applications.
Conclusions:
- The MGI browser facilitates the organization and mining of EST and genomic data.
- This integrated system enhances the utility of large-scale sequence data for scientific research.
Related Concept Videos
02:02Genomics
Genomics is the science of genomes: it is the study of all the genetic material of an organism. In humans, the genome consists of information carried in 23 pairs of chromosomes in the nucleus, as well as mitochondrial DNA. In genomics, both coding and non-coding DNA is sequenced and analyzed. Genomics allows a better understanding of all living things, their evolution, and their diversity. It has a myriad of uses: for example, to build phylogenetic trees, to improve productivity and...
02:54Evolutionary Relationships through Genome Comparisons
Genome comparison is one of the excellent ways to interpret the evolutionary relationships between organisms. The basic principle of genome comparison is that if two species share a common feature, it is likely encoded by the DNA sequence conserved between both species. The advent of genome sequencing technologies in the late 20th century enabled scientists to understand the concept of conservation of domains between species and helped them to deduce evolutionary relationships across diverse...
02:46Genetic Screens
Genetic screens are tools used to identify genes and mutations responsible for phenotypes of interest. Genetic screens help identify individuals or a group of people at risk of developing genetic diseases and help them with early intervention, targeted therapy, and reproductive options.
Forward genetic screens
Forward or “classical” genetic screens involve creating random mutations in an organism’s DNA using radiation, mutagens, or insertion of additional bases, which result in visible changes...
Forward genetic screens
Forward or “classical” genetic screens involve creating random mutations in an organism’s DNA using radiation, mutagens, or insertion of additional bases, which result in visible changes...