GrainGenes, the genome database for small-grain crops

GrainGenes, http://www.graingenes.org, is the international database for the wheat, barley, rye and oat genomes. For these species it is the primary repository for information about genetic maps, mapping probes and primers, genes, alleles and QTLs. Documentation includes such data as primer sequences, polymorphism descriptions, genotype and trait scoring data, experimental protocols used, and photographs of marker polymorphisms, disease symptoms and mutant phenotypes. These data, curated with the help of many members of the research community, are integrated with sequence and bibliographic records selected from external databases and results of BLAST searches of the ESTs. Records are linked to corresponding records in other important databases, e.g. Gramene's EST homologies to rice BAC/PACs, TIGR's Gene Indices and GenBank. In addition to this information within the GrainGenes database itself, the GrainGenes homepage at http://wheat.pw.usda.gov provides many other community resources including publications (the annual newsletters for wheat, barley and oat, monographs and articles), individual datasets (mapping and QTL studies, polymorphism surveys, variety performance evaluations), specialized databases (Triticeae repeat sequences, EST unigene sets) and pages to facilitate coordination of cooperative research efforts in specific areas such as SNP development, EST-SSRs and taxonomy. The goal is to serve as a central point for obtaining and contributing information about the genetics and biology of these cereal crops.