Mouse Genome Resources
Accommodate a Diverse Array of Data

As sequence data accumulates, it is becoming clear that the genomic sequences of human and mouse share a high degree of similarity. The emerging mouse genomic sequence will strengthen the mouse as a model system for studying human disease and investigating potential disease treatments.

The Mouse Genome Resources page collects a variety of services running the gamut from information on mouse strains and annotation projects to powerful genomic display and analysis tools such as the Map Viewer and Mouse Genome BLAST. A central resource for mouse genomic data is the Mouse Genome Map Viewer, which displays NCBI-assembled sequence contigs derived from HTG sequence as well as those assembled using Whole Genome Shotgun (WGS) sequences from the Mouse GenomeSequencing Consortium (MGSC). The Map Viewer, accessible by chromosome via the “Jump to the Genome” link.

Mouse Genome BLAST can be used for similarity searches of mouse-specific databases, such as assemblies from the MGSC, ARACHNE, PHUSION, WGS traces, curated NT contigs, HTG sequences, and BAC ends. The Mouse Genome BLAST page uses MegaBLAST for nucleotide searches. Optimized for aligning sequences of high sequence similarity, MegaBLAST is up to 10 times faster than the more conventional blastn program and is able to efficiently handle much longer DNA sequences than blastn.

Other resources collected on the Mouse Genome Resources page include the Clone Registry, which contains information on BAC clones; the Human-Mouse Homology Map, which displays blocks of conserved synteny between mouse and human; LocusLink, which provides a single query interface to curated sequence and descriptive information about genetic loci; RefSeq, which provides Reference Sequences for genomic contigs, mRNAs, and proteins; the Sequencing page, which provides a sum-mary of mouse genome sequencing progress and current genome data; the Trace Archive, a collection of raw sequence traces from sequencing projects, such as the mouse; and FTP Sites, for downloading data associated with mouse resources from NCBI.

NCBI’s Mouse Genome Resources can be accessed at www.ncbi.nlm. nih.gov/genome/guide/mouse/. —VP

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