Faculty Collaboration Database

Rat Genome Database (RGD): mapping disease onto the genome. Nucleic Acids Res 2002 Jan 01;30(1):125-8

Date

12/26/2001

Pubmed ID

11752273

Pubmed Central ID

PMC99132

DOI

10.1093/nar/30.1.125

Scopus ID

2-s2.0-18444394318 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site)   98 Citations

Abstract

The Rat Genome Database (RGD, http://rgd.mcw.edu) is an NIH-funded project whose stated mission is 'to collect, consolidate and integrate data generated from ongoing rat genetic and genomic research efforts and make these data widely available to the scientific community'. In a collaboration between the Bioinformatics Research Center at the Medical College of Wisconsin, the Jackson Laboratory and the National Center for Biotechnology Information, RGD has been created to meet these stated aims. The rat is uniquely suited to its role as a model of human disease and the primary focus of RGD is to aid researchers in their study of the rat and in applying their results to studies in a wider context. In support of this we have integrated a large amount of rat genetic and genomic resources in RGD and these are constantly being expanded through ongoing literature and bulk dataset curation. RGD version 2.0, released in June 2001, includes curated data on rat genes, quantitative trait loci (QTL), microsatellite markers and rat strains used in genetic and genomic research. VCMap, a dynamic sequence-based homology tool was introduced, and allows researchers of rat, mouse and human to view mapped genes and sequences and their locations in the other two organisms, an essential tool for comparative genomics. In addition, RGD provides tools for gene prediction, radiation hybrid mapping, polymorphic marker selection and more. Future developments will include the introduction of disease-based curation expanding the curated information to cover popular disease systems studied in the rat. This will be integrated with the emerging rat genomic sequence and annotation pipelines to provide a high-quality disease-centric resource, applicable to human and mouse via comparative tools such as VCMap. RGD has a defined community outreach focus with a Visiting Scientist program and the Rat Community Forum, a web-based forum for rat researchers and others interested in using the rat as an experimental model. Thus, RGD is not only a valuable resource for those working with the rat but also for researchers in other model organisms wishing to harness the existing genetic and physiological data available in the rat to complement their own work.

Author List

Twigger S, Lu J, Shimoyama M, Chen D, Pasko D, Long H, Ginster J, Chen CF, Nigam R, Kwitek A, Eppig J, Maltais L, Maglott D, Schuler G, Jacob H, Tonellato PJ

Author

Anne E. Kwitek PhD Professor in the Physiology department at Medical College of Wisconsin

MESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold

Animals
Chromosome Mapping
Database Management Systems
Databases, Genetic
Genetic Diseases, Inborn
Genome
Genotype
Humans
Information Storage and Retrieval
Internet
Mice
Microsatellite Repeats
Phenotype
Quantitative Trait, Heritable
Radiation Hybrid Mapping
Rats
Rats, Inbred Strains
Sequence Homology
Terminology as Topic
User-Computer Interface