Databases and Systems

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Genotype Expression Phenotype
Figure 3. The Mouse Genome Database (MGD) provides genetic, genomic, and
phenotypic data on the mouse. These represent the two ends of the spectrum
illustrated here. The Gene Expression Database (GXD) bridges the molecular and
developmental aspects of translating genotype to phenotype. MGD and GXD are
accessible through a common WWW site at http://www.informatics.jax.org.
MGD and GXD provide user access through a common interface, the Mouse
Genome Informatics WWW site (http://www.informatics.jax.org). This site was
developed with the premise that biological scientists interested in accessing data on
the genetics and biology of the laboratory mouse prefer to access data in a
coordinated, integrated system. The MGI WWW site provides seamless access to
MGD and GXD, with extensive hypertext linking between the data sets, such that the
user can traverse all data without intentionally having to switch from a MGD to a
GXD view, and vice versa. Importantly, the MGI WWW site will allow future
expansion into other areas of mouse biological data, such as mouse tumor
information, which is slated to be released at our site later this year.
Future
MGD and GXD will continue to grow, expand, and evolve. Many new challenges are
anticipated as both high throughput and exquisitely sensitive methodologies continue
to develop, allowing new and exciting biological data to be collected. As well,
evolving computer technologies will give us the ability to analyze and display these
data in flexible graphical ways. The mouse has become a pivotal animal model
system. New emphasis is being placed on sequencing its genome and on generating
new mouse mutants by homologous recombination and saturation mutagenesis.
Comprehensive genetic, expression, and phenotypic analysis of these mutants will
provide unprecedented insights into the mechanisms that underlie normal
development and disease. MGD and GXD will continue to play an important role in
the acquisition and analysis of these critical biological data for the laboratory mouse.