MannDB – A microbial database of automated protein sequence analyses and evidence integration for protein characterization

Journal Article · Tue Oct 17 00:00:00 EDT 2006 · BMC Bioinformatics

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2105-7-459· OSTI ID:1626328

Zhou, Carol L. Ecale ^[1]; Lam, Marisa W. ^[1]; Smith, Jason R. ^[1]; Zemla, Adam T. ^[1]; Dyer, Matthew D. ^[2]; Kuczmarski, Thomas A. ^[1]; Vitalis, Elizabeth A. ^[1]; Slezak, Thomas R. ^[1]

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1. Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States). Pathogen Bio-informatics
2. Virginia Polytechnic Inst. and State Univ. (Virginia Tech), Blacksburg, VA (United States). Virginia Bioinformatics Inst.

Background: MannDB was created to meet a need for rapid, comprehensive automated protein sequence analyses to support selection of proteins suitable as targets for driving the development of reagents for pathogen or protein toxin detection. Because a large number of open-source tools were needed, it was necessary to produce a software system to scale the computations for whole-proteome analysis. Thus, we built a fully automated system for executing software tools and for storage, integration, and display of automated protein sequence analysis and annotation data. Description: MannDB is a relational database that organizes data resulting from fully automated, highthroughput protein-sequence analyses using open-source tools. Types of analyses provided include predictions of cleavage, chemical properties, classification, features, functional assignment, post-translational modifications, motifs, antigenicity, and secondary structure. Proteomes (lists of hypothetical and known proteins) are downloaded and parsed from Genbank and then inserted into MannDB, and annotations from SwissProt are downloaded when identifiers are found in the Genbank entry or when identical sequences are identified. Currently 36 open-source tools are run against MannDB protein sequences either on local systems or by means of batch submission to external servers. In addition, BLAST against protein entries in MvirDB, our database of microbial virulence factors, is performed. A web client browser enables viewing of computational results and downloaded annotations, and a query tool enables structured and free-text search capabilities. When available, links to external databases, including MvirDB, are provided. MannDB contains whole-proteome analyses for at least one representative organism from each category of biological threat organism listed by APHIS, CDC, HHS, NIAID, USDA, USFDA, and WHO. Conclusion: MannDB comprises a large number of genomes and comprehensive protein sequence analyses representing organisms listed as high-priority agents on the websites of several governmental organizations concerned with bio-terrorism. MannDB provides the user with a BLAST interface for comparison of native and non-native sequences and a query tool for conveniently selecting proteins of interest. In addition, the user has access to a web-based browser that compiles comprehensive and extensive reports. Access to MannDB is freely available at http://manndb.llnl.gov/.

• Research Organization: Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE Office of Science (SC), Biological and Environmental Research (BER). Biological Systems Science Division; US Department of Homeland Security (DHS)
• Grant/Contract Number: AC52-07NA27344; W-7405-ENG-48
• OSTI ID: 1626328
• Journal Information: BMC Bioinformatics, Vol. 7, Issue 1; ISSN 1471-2105
• Publisher: BioMed Central
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Mathematical & Computational Biology