Carolyn J. Lawrence

A standardized kinesin nomenclature

In recent years the kinesin superfamily has become so large that several different naming schemes have emerged, leading to confusion and miscommunication. Here, we set forth a standardized kinesin nomenclature based on 14 family designations. The scheme unifies all previous phylogenies and nomenclature proposals, while allowing individual sequence names to remain the same, and for expansion to occur as new sequences are discovered.

PlantGDB: a resource for comparative plant genomics

PlantGDB (http://www.plantgdb.org/) is a genomics database encompassing sequence data for green plants (Viridiplantae). PlantGDB provides annotated transcript assemblies for >100 plant species, with transcripts mapped to their cognate genomic context where available, integrated with a variety of sequence analysis tools and web services. For 14 plant species with emerging or complete genome sequence, PlantGDBs genome browsers (xGDB) serve as a graphical interface for viewing, evaluating and annotating transcript and protein alignments to chromosome or bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC)-based genome assemblies. Annotation is facilitated by the integrated yrGATE module for community curation of gene models. Novel web services at PlantGDB include Tracembler, an iterative alignment tool that generates contigs from GenBank trace file data and BioExtract Server, a web-based server for executing custom sequence analysis workflows. PlantGDB also hosts a plant genomics research outreach portal (PGROP) that facilitates access to a large number of resources for research and training.

Finding Our Way through Phenotypes

Imagine if we could compute across phenotype data as easily as genomic data; this article calls for efforts to realize this vision and discusses the potential benefits.

MaizeGDB, the community database for maize genetics and genomics

The Maize Genetics and Genomics Database (MaizeGDB) is a central repository for maize sequence, stock, phenotype, genotypic and karyotypic variation, and chromosomal mapping data. In addition, MaizeGDB provides contact information for over 2400 maize cooperative researchers, facilitating interactions between members of the rapidly expanding maize community. MaizeGDB represents the synthesis of all data available previously from ZmDB and from MaizeDB-databases that have been superseded by MaizeGDB. MaizeGDB provides web-based tools for ordering maize stocks from several organizations including the Maize Genetics Cooperation Stock Center and the North Central Regional Plant Introduction Station (NCRPIS). Sequence searches yield records displayed with embedded links to facilitate ordering cloned sequences from various groups including the Maize Gene Discovery Project and the Clemson University Genomics Institute. An intuitive web interface is implemented to facilitate navigation between related data, and analytical tools are embedded within data displays. Web-based curation tools for both designated experts and general researchers are currently under development. MaizeGDB can be accessed at http://www.maizegdb.org/.

MAKER-P: A Tool Kit for the Rapid Creation, Management, and Quality Control of Plant Genome Annotations

MAKER-P annotates the entire Arabidopsis and maize genomes in less than 3 h with comparable quality to the current TAIR10 and maize V2 annotation builds. We have optimized and extended the widely used annotation engine MAKER in order to better support plant genome annotation efforts. New features include better parallelization for large repeat-rich plant genomes, noncoding RNA annotation capabilities, and support for pseudogene identification. We have benchmarked the resulting software tool kit, MAKER-P, using the Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) and maize (Zea mays) genomes. Here, we demonstrate the ability of the MAKER-P tool kit to automatically update, extend, and revise the Arabidopsis annotations in light of newly available data and to annotate pseudogenes and noncoding RNAs absent from The Arabidopsis Informatics Resource 10 build. Our results demonstrate that MAKER-P can be used to manage and improve the annotations of even Arabidopsis, perhaps the best-annotated plant genome. We have also installed and benchmarked MAKER-P on the Texas Advanced Computing Center. We show that this public resource can de novo annotate the entire Arabidopsis and maize genomes in less than 3 h and produce annotations of comparable quality to those of the current The Arabidopsis Information Resource 10 and maize V2 annotation builds.

Comparative Plant Genomics Resources at PlantGDB

PlantGDB (http://www.plantgdb.org/) is a database of plant molecular sequences. Expressed sequence tag (EST) sequences are assembled into contigs that represent tentative unique genes. EST contigs are functionally annotated with information derived from known protein sequences that are highly similar to the putative translation products. Tentative Gene Ontology terms are assigned to match those of the similar sequences identified. Genome survey sequences are assembled similarly. The resulting genome survey sequence contigs are matched to ESTs and conserved protein homologs to identify putative full-length open reading frame-containing genes, which are subsequently provisionally classified according to established gene family designations. For Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) and rice (Oryza sativa), the exon-intron boundaries for gene structures are annotated by spliced alignment of ESTs and full-length cDNAs to their respective complete genome sequences. Unique genome browsers have been developed to present all available EST and cDNA evidence for current transcript models (for Arabidopsis, see the AtGDB site at http://www.plantgdb.org/AtGDB/; for rice, see the OsGDB site at http://www.plantgdb.org/OsGDB/). In addition, a number of bioinformatic tools have been integrated at PlantGDB that enable researchers to carry out sequence analyses on-site using both their own data and data residing within the database.

Dyneins Have Run Their Course in Plant Lineage

Flowering plant genomes lack flagellar and cytoplasmic dyneins as well as the proteins that make up the dynactin complex. The mechanisms for organizing the Golgi apparatus, establishing spindle poles, and moving nuclei, vesicles, and chromosomes in flowering plants must be fundamentally different from those in other systems where these processes are dependent upon dynein and dynactin.

Maximum Likelihood Methods Reveal Conservation of Function Among Closely Related Kinesin Families

Abstract. We have reconstructed the evolution of the anciently derived kinesin superfamily using various alignment and tree-building methods. In addition to classifying previously described kinesins from protists, fungi, and animals, we analyzed a variety of kinesin sequences from the plant kingdom including 12 from Zea mays and 29 from Arabidopsis thaliana. Also included in our data set were four sequences from the anciently diverged amitochondriate protist Giardia lamblia. The overall topology of the best tree we found is more likely than previously reported topologies and allows us to make the following new observations: (1) kinesins involved in chromosome movement including MCAK, chromokinesin, and CENP-E may be descended from a single ancestor; (2) kinesins that form complex oligomers are limited to a monophyletic group of families; (3) kinesins that crosslink antiparallel microtubules at the spindle midzone including BIMC, MKLP, and CENP-E are closely related; (4) Drosophila NOD and human KID group with other characterized chromokinesins; and (5) Saccharomyces SMY1 groups with kinesin-I sequences, forming a family of kinesins capable of class V myosin interactions. In addition, we found that one monophyletic clade composed exclusively of sequences with a C-terminal motor domain contains all known minus end-directed kinesins.

The Locus Lookup tool at MaizeGDB

SUMMARY Methods to automatically integrate sequence information with physical and genetic maps are scarce. The Locus Lookup tool enables researchers to define windows of genomic sequence likely to contain loci of interest where only genetic or physical mapping associations are reported. Using the Locus Lookup tool, researchers will be able to locate specific genes more efficiently that will ultimately help them develop a better maize plant. With the availability of the well-documented source code, the tool can be easily adapted to other biological systems. AVAILABILITY The Locus Lookup tool is available on the web at http://maizegdb.org/cgi-bin/locus_lookup.cgi. It is implemented in PHP, Oracle and Apache, with all major browsers supported. Source code is freely available for download at http://ftp.maizegdb.org/open_source/locus_lookup/.

MaizeGDB: curation and outreach go hand-in-hand

First released in 1991 with the name MaizeDB, the Maize Genetics and Genomics Database, now MaizeGDB, celebrates its 20th anniversary this year. MaizeGDB has transitioned from a focus on comprehensive curation of the literature, genetic maps and stocks to a paradigm that accommodates the recent release of a reference maize genome sequence, multiple diverse maize genomes and sequence-based gene expression data sets. The MaizeGDB Team is relatively small, and relies heavily on the research community to provide data, nomenclature standards and most importantly, to recommend future directions, priorities and strategies. Key aspects of MaizeGDBs intimate interaction with the community are the co-location of curators with maize research groups in multiple locations across the USA as well as coordination with MaizeGDB’s close partner, the Maize Genetics Cooperation—Stock Center. In this report, we describe how the MaizeGDB Team currently interacts with the maize research community and our plan for future interactions that will support updates to the functional and structural annotation of the B73 reference genome.