The Yeast Proteome Database (YPD) and Caenorhabditis elegans Proteome Database (WormPD): comprehensive resources for the organization and comparison of model organism protein information

The Yeast Proteome Database (YPD(TM)) has been for several years a resource for organized and accessible information about the proteins of Saccharomyc es cerevisiae. We have now extended the YPD format to create a database con taining complete proteome information about the model organism Caenorhabdit is elegans (WormPD(TM)). YPD and WormPD are designed for use not on ly by t heir respective research communities but also by the broader scientific com munity. In both databases, information gleaned from the literature is prese nted in a consistent, user-friendly Protein Report format: a single Web pag e presenting all available-knowledge about a particular protein. Each Prote in Report begins with a Title Line, a concise description of the function o f that protein that is continually updated as curators review new literatur e, Properties and functions of the protein are presented in tabular form in the upper part of the Report, and free-text annotations organized by topic are presented in the lower part. Each Protein Report ends with a comprehen sive reference list whose entries are linked to their MEDLINE abstracts. YP D and WormPD are seamlessly integrated, with extensive links between the sp ecies. They are freely accessible to academic users on the WWW at http://ww w.proteome.com/databases/index.html, and are available by subscription to c orporate users.