TRANSFAC: an integrated system for gene expression regulation

TRANSFAC is a database on transcription factors, their genomic binding site s and DNA-binding profiles (http://transfac.gbf.de/TRANSFAC/). Its content has been enhanced, in particular by information about training sequences us ed for the construction of nucleotide matrices as well as by data on plant sites and factors. Moreover, TRANSFAC has been extended by two new modules: PathoDB provides data on pathologically relevant mutations in regulatory r egions and transcription factor genes, whereas S/MARt DB compiles features of scaffold/matrix attached regions (S/MARs) and the proteins binding to th em. Additionally, the databases TRANSPATH, about signal transduction, and C YTOMER, about organs and cell types, have been extended and are increasingl y integrated with the TRANSFAC data sources.