An anatomy ontology to represent biological knowledge in Dictyostelium discoideum

BMC Genomics. 2008 Mar 18:9:130. doi: 10.1186/1471-2164-9-130.

Abstract

Background: Dictyostelium discoideum is a model system for studying many important physiological processes including chemotaxis, phagocytosis, and signal transduction. The recent sequencing of the genome has revealed the presence of over 12,500 protein-coding genes. The model organism database dictyBase hosts the genome sequence as well as a large amount of manually curated information.

Results: We present here an anatomy ontology for Dictyostelium based upon the life cycle of the organism.

Conclusion: Anatomy ontologies are necessary to annotate species-specific events such as phenotypes, and the Dictyostelium anatomy ontology provides an essential tool for curation of the Dictyostelium genome.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Databases, Genetic*
  • Dictyostelium / cytology*
  • Dictyostelium / genetics
  • Genome, Protozoan / genetics*
  • Life Cycle Stages / genetics
  • Life Cycle Stages / physiology*
  • Phenotype*