Biological Databases and Its Significance:-

 Data is fact and figures related to situation or system. For example Nucleotide sequences of DNA constitute biological data ,this type of data fed into computer for processing.  A collection of data arranged in a way for locating ,adding ,removing and changing the data is called database.  The database in which biological information is stored is called biological database.  Organized collection of biological information is called "Biological Databases."  Databases are presented electronically in Servers.  Server is a computer having a large data storing capacity.  It is a convenient and efficient method of storing vast amount of information.  Biological data bases are the collection of data & information about different biological aspect.  Information in these databases can be searched, compared, retrieved and analyzed.  Biological databases have become important tools in assisting scientists to understand several biological phenomenon like. 1. Structure of Biomolecules and there interaction. 2. The whole of organisms. 3. The of . 4. Fight against diseases. 5. Development of Medication. 6. Discovering basis relationship amongst the species in the history of life. a) Objectives of Biological Database:- There are 4 objectives of biological databases:-  To make all relevant data available at one place.  To store all relevant information easily.  To make biological data available to the scientist.  To update existing information easily. b) Properties of Databases:- Various properties of databases are listed below:-  Database stores data of relevant information: Data may be Nucleotide sequence, Protein sequence, Protein sequence pattern, Macromolecular 3-D structure, Gene expression data, and metabolic pathway.  It has facility for data entry and Quality Control:-Scientist deposit data directly, marking and removing necessary data, Type and degree of error checking, consistency, conflicts, update, etc.  It may be formed of primary or secondary or other databases:-Primary databases:-"Experimentally results directly into databases. Secondary databases:-"Results of analysis of primary databases"  Data files are stored in specific forms:- They may be Flat file, Rational databases (SQL), Objective oriented databases (CORB,XML),  It may be maintained by Government or Institutions:- Large, Public Institutions (Ex. EMBL (European molecular Lab), NCBI), Academic group or scientist ,Commercial company etc.  Databases are available to public with or without restriction: Available but without copyright, Accessible but not downloadable, Academic but not freely available. c) Classification of Biological Database Biological databases can be broadly classified into 2 types: 1) Generalized and 2) specialized databases. 1) Generalized databases :-  The database that has wide range of related information (data) is called generalized databases.  The databases of DNA, protein, m-RNA, structure databases are generalized databases.  They include Structural databases sequence databases. i) Sequence databases. The databases that have the record of either nucleotide sequence or amino acid sequence such a databases are called sequence databases. ii) Structural databases:-The databases that contain resolved structures of Macromolecules Types of Generalized Databases:- i) DNP molecular databases. ii) RNA sequence databases. iii) Protein sequence databases. iv) Proteomic databases. v) Structural databases. 2) Specialized Databases:-  The databases created to meet special needs are called specialized databases."  It includes databases of genome of various organisms.  Its biochemical pathways, disease of human beings, etc.  Following categories of databases are grouped under specialized databases: Genomic databases (Non-vertebrate),Metabolic and signaling pathway ,Human and other vertebrate genomes, Human genes and Diseases ,Microarray data and other expression.

Significance of Biological Database:

 It helps to understand molecular mechanism of diseases which better help in treatment, cure and efficient diagnosis.  It helps to development of to prescribed best suited drug.  It is used in gene therapy for the treatment of genetic diseases by changing the expression of victim gene/Person gene.  It also helps in drug designing and drug development.  In addition to these it also help in Bioweapon creation, evolutionary studies, Crop improvement and improving nutritional quality. Tools:

1. FASTA:  It is a protein and DNA sequence alignment software package.  It was first described by David J.Lipman and William R. Pearson in 1985.  It is a text based format for representing either nucleotide sequences or peptide sequences.  In this, Nucleotides or amino acids are represented by using single letter code.  It is used for fast nucleotide comparison or protein comparison.  This program achieves a highest level of sensitivity for similarity search at high speed.  It is useful to analyze DNA,RNA, and Protein sequences by similarity searching.  A segment of genomic DNA or Copy of DNA may be used as querry for analysis of DNA.

When DNA used as query that database gives fine detailed about:

 In which organism it occurs.  Location of query sequence in chromosome.  Which gene is present in query sequence.  Structure and function of query sequence

When RNA sequence send as query to the nucleotide database that database provide following details :

 Fine structure of RNA  Entron and Exon of RNA.  Protein coded by RNA.  Expression of RNA  Post transcriptional modification.

When Protein sequence send as query to the protein database that database provide following details :

 Structure of target protein.  3D structure of protein  Protein-Protein interaction  Active /binding site of protein  Expression of protein  Catalytic activity and metabolic Pathway takes place. BLAST:

It is a basic local alignment search tools. It is a homology and similarity search tools. It is used to compare novel sequence in the light of various database DNA,RNA, and protein databases. It will identify in the human genome that resembles in mouse gene based on the similarity sequence. The blast algorithm and program were designed by Stephan Altschul, Warren Gish ,Webb Miller, Eugene Myers and David J. Lipman. National Institute of health and was published in the journal of molecular biology. It used in :

 Identifying species.  Locating domains.  Establishing phylogeny (Creating phylogenetic tree)  DNA mapping (Compare chromosomal position)  Comparison (When working with gene, BLAST locate common gene in two related species)