Viral Bioinformatics Resource
The Viral Bioinformatics Resource Center (VBRC) is one of eight NIH-sponsored Bioinformatics Resource Centers (http://www.brc-central.org/) established to provide informational and analytical resources to the scientific community. The goal of these Centers is to aid research directed at providing a better understanding of microorganisms included on the NIH list of priority pathogens. This list includes pathogens considered to be potential threats as agents of bioterrorism, as well as pathogens classified as causing emerging or re-emerging infectious diseases. The VBRC was specifically directed to study viruses belonging to the Arenaviridae, Bunyaviridae, Filoviridae, Flaviviridae, Paramyxoviridae, Poxviridae, and Togaviridae families. The Center consists of a relational database and web application that supports the data storage, annotation, analysis, and information exchange goals of this work. The current release consists of 369 complete genomic sequences (v 4.2). In addition to sequence data, the VBRC provides curation for each of the viral genomes and the gene records, resulting in a searchable, comprehensive mini-review of gene function relating genotype to biological phenotype-with special emphasis on pathogenesis. To the extent possible, the curation will also include information on the involvement of genes in host-pathogen interactions. In addition to the sequence database, we will also be collecting, when available, data derived from high-throughput “Systems Biology” studies, including microarray gene expression data, proteomic analyses, and population genetics data. The VBRC also provides a variety of analytical tools on its web site to aid in the understanding of the available data, including tools for genome annotation, comparative analysis, whole genome alignments, and phylogenetic analysis. We are developing and making available visualization tools to provide a graphical display of the results of the various analyses. Finally, an important aspect of our ongoing work is to solicit feedback from the scientific community; the goal being to enhance and extend the VBRC, thereby increasing its use and usefulness in support of basic and applied research on these priority pathogens.
Webpage:
http://www.biovirus.org/
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