Xenbase
We participate in Xenbase, the Xenopus model organism database. Xenbase is a comprehensive database that provides a portal to inter-related divers biological and genomic data related to Xenopus research all of which is highly integrated with other model organism databases and international resources such as NCBI.
Animal models such as Xenopus provide powerful experimental tools to test gene function and interrogate biological pathways. Comparative functional genomics between humans and model organisms has led to a wealth of discoveries, and it is clear that this will continue to play an important role in unlocking the potential of the genome for human health. In this post genomic era highly annotated and easily accessible data are increasingly essential for researchers to integrate vast amounts of sequence, expression and functional data into a meaningful biological synthesis. Xenbase serves this function and here at Cincinnati Children’s we house the Xenbase curation team in collaboration with the Xenbase development team at the University of Calgary in Canada.
At Xenbase you will find everything Xenopus. You may search for genes, expression patterns, antibodies, protocols, anatomy items and development stages or browse the genome. You can even search for homologous genes in humans that are linked to diseases. You may also search books and papers as well as find people, organizations, events and job postings of interest to the Xenopus community. We also offer FTP resources to download. Visit Xenbase.
Why Xenopus
The African frogs Xenopus laevis and Xenopus tropicalis are widely used by cell and developmental biologists as well as physiologists. Xenopus has long been one of the premiere model organisms and has provided numerous fundamental insights into cell and developmental biology. The large and abundant Xenopus eggs and embryos enable sophisticated embryology, easy manipulation of gene expression by microinjection and the generation of biochemically amenable cell-free extracts. These classical advantages have been greatly empowered over the past decade by genome and EST sequencing, the generation of full-length cDNA sets, microarray analysis, functional genomics screens, gene knockdown using antisense morpholino oligos, the development of rapid transgenics and by the establishment of Xenbase.
