'Discuss how DNA sequence information relevant to genetic diseases can be
accessed on the major bioinformatics databases. In your discussion, review the
content of the databases, the ease of access of the sequence information and
how the databases can be used in the diagnosis of genetic diseases'.

Seems like you've got your work cut out for you there, Drjydo. Fortunately I know just the book to assist you. I grew up reading it and it hasn't done me any harm. For instance, did you know that elephants are the only mammals that can't jump and the only mammals, aside from humans, that can cry? I'm sure you'll find the answer you're after in this book: http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Weetabix-Oxford-Illustrated-Book-Facts-Paperback-/320547789412

Thankyou for sharing your assignment question with us. Have fun writing it.

Thanks everyone, but could anyone give me some direction as to how to go about answering this question as i'm new to bioinformatics?
Any suggestion will be greatly appreciated.
Cheers.

Hi Drjydo, you should've been more specific with your help question rather than post the whole assignment. Genetics is not my field, however I know that PubMed is probably one of the largest databases you could use for accessing information in this field and it's worth spending time on it:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/gquery/gquery.fcgi

CB

Whoever set you the question should have given you a list of some of the Bioinformatic websites available to analyse gene sequences. If you are that new to bioinformatics then I guess you don't know any. If you do know then the question is simple...in a way as all the information would be within the websites.

I'll give you BLAST http://blast.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/Blast.cgi there are more though and you should try searching for others.

Along with Pubmed you have a good starting point.

Hope this is of some use.

Are you taking a MSc in Bioinformatics? If so, you should have had some lectures (or been given some reading material) on databases as they are an important feature of practical Bioinformatics these days.

For a starting point you could do worse than here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category%3ABioinformatics_databases

Although this list does not give you an indication of the relative importance of the databases therein - it is more of a "laundry list". Do you have any indication of which might be your profs' favourite databases?

Hi Ejc, thanks for your help.I'm doing Msc in Health Informatics, but the Bioinformatics has been thrown in my mix for it's good measure.lol.
I have checked the lecture notes and no databases given and i have now been saddled to figure this out fast as time is no longer on my side.

My gratitude to Cheekybint and Gennia as well.I'm actually at the teething stages of the Msc course in Health informatics with little or no computer background.
I have perused your suggested websites and i've even had the opportunity to check out http://www.ebi.ac.uk/2can/databases/index.html
I guess my other difficulty is trying to start typing out in 1500-2000 words without knowing how to get the references or bibliography in as a way of preventing plagiarism.
Thanks.

Is this your first essay, Drjydo? Have you had any help with referencing?

To be honest, for an essay of that length you can get away with doing the references "by hand" instead of using reference manager software, unless you prefer to use a special software for references - something which becomes very useful when you have a bigger piece of work (an MSc thesis for example).

Your university probably offers some guidance on references - for example my uni does via the library.

Here is a hint: Some bioinformatics databses contain information other than "DNA sequence information" - for example, protein structure information or gene expression information...you really want to narrow your answer down to DNA sequence information in the major databases, and in an essay that length you will not have space to write about all of them. Perhaps find two or three and compare them, discussing accessing each and what they contain? You also want to include some information on disease too - do you have any clinician friends you can ask how and if they use these sorts of databases?

Thanks Ejc for all the assistance.You are indeed a life saver.
I have just bought Endnote online and i'm currently downloading it to my laptop while i'm being online here on my office pc.
I'm a doctor myself but i'm a psychiatrist.
What i intend doing is follow your advice really and try and do the bare minimum.
The assignment is the only thing holding me up.I have passed all my written exams.
After this assignment,next stop is my other last 2 assignments one of which is on the benefits of electronic health records in any institution which might make me go in search of another forum on health or medical informatics.lol.

OK I didn't know you were a (clinical) doctor! I imagine that in clinical practice these databases are not the first port of call for information (although who knows, maybe they will be in the future).

There is a lot of interesting research on genetics and psychiatric diseases (she says, going off-topic slightly).

Good luck with your essay and with your MSc!

Ejc

Hey Ejc, thanks a mil.
Will be working all through the weekend.
Are you in Dublin University yourself?

Whats the magic word dr Drjydo? Rephrase the original question with a magic word please? This will def increase the responses to lie somewhere in the middle of the camel hump PdF...as needed.

Indeed, Goodboy. Just writing your assignment question is likely to get some very abrupt responses. And no, I have no intention of answering your question either, despite knowing an awful lot about the answer.