AtDB, the Arabidopsis thaliana database, and graphical-web-display of progress by the Arabidopsis Genome Initiative

AtDB, the Arabidopsis thaliana Database, has a primary role to provide public access to the collected genomic information for A. thaliana via the World Wide Web (URL: http://genome-www.stanford. edu/ ). AtDB presents interactive physical and genetics maps that are hyperlinked with detailed information about the clones and markers placed on these maps. A large literature collection on Arabidopsis , contact information on researchers worldwide, laboratory method manuals and other information useful to plant molecular biologists are also provided. This paper discusses the database-driven clickable displays that provide easy navigation within a variety of genomic maps, including those summarizing progress of the international Arabidopsis genomic sequencing effort, AGI (the Arabidopsis Genome Initiative). The interface uses client-side hyperlinked GIF-images that direct the user to detailed database-information. A new BLAST service is also described. This gives users access to the thousands of Arabidopsis BAC clone end-sequences and includes hyperlinked images summarizing the search results. The linking of genetic and physically mapped regions and their sequence into information for loci within that region is an ongoing goal for this project.