Resources for Large Scale Biological Database Development

在整个生物科学领域，获取某一特定主题的所有现有数据的需求正在增加。生物科学的复杂性和广泛性使得即使在一个主题上也不可能随时获得完整的数据资源，更不用说正在深入研究的无数主题了。像人类基因组计划这样的大型项目使整个科学界更加明显地看到了数据共享的不足。然而，尽管需要迅速采取行动，但训练有素的调查人员短缺，需要新的理论和系统。一个实验数据库代表了一个非常深入研究的小鼠17号染色体区域的详细信息，H-2基因复合体，将作为数据库工具广泛理论和实践开发的模型数据系统。实验模型系统提供了在大型项目中发现的所有分子遗传学和细胞生物学问题，但只关注大约3兆碱基对的小鼠DNA，其中部分已被完全测序。该模型系统不仅可以用于理论开发和测试，还可以作为希望探索应用数据库问题的新研究者、商业软件供应商和计算机科学家的培训工具。这个研究平台将成为外展研讨会和专题讨论会以及专门培训会议的有效核心。这种格式应该加快数据库的开发，否则可能会像其他领域的其他新数据库程序那样延续几十年。

Throughout the biological sciences there is an increase in the need to access all of the current data available on a given subject. The complexity and breadth of the biological sciences makes it impossible to have ready access to the full data resources on even one subject, leave alone the myriad topics under intense investigation. Mega projects like the Human Genome Initiative have made this shortage of data sharing more obvious to the whole scientific community. Yet, despite the need for rapid action there is a shortage of trained investigators and the need for new theory and systems. An experimental database representing the detailed information about a very heavily studied region of mouse chromosome 17, the H-2 gene complex, will serve as the model data system for broad theoretical and practical development of database tools. The experimental model system offers all of the molecular genetic and cellular biology problems found in larger projects but only focuses on approximately 3 megabase pairs of mouse DNA, part of which has been fully sequenced. This model system will serve not only for theory development and testing but as a training tool for new investigators, commercial software vendors and computer scientists wishing to explore applied database problems. This research platform will be an effective core for outreach workshop and symposia as well as specialized training sessions. This format should speed database development, which otherwise could extend over decades as other new database programs have in other fields.