Lesson 1 - Overview of the ARS Genome Database Resource Home Page


This section contains a brief background on organization and content of the ARS Genome Database Resource Home Page. Throughout the rest of the lessons we will be focusing only on the Plant Genome Database section, but there are a number of other useful resources and links available from this site.

This particular lesson doesn't have any online exercises per se, but the examples will let you explore the other resources found at the ARS Genome Database Resource. 
 
 

 What is on the Home Page?

The top level Home Page for the ARS Genome Database Resource contains links to several different categories (like Databases, Software, Crop Newsletters, and more). In addition to these major links, you can also get background information on the USDA-ARS Center for Bioinformatics and Comparative Genomics (CBCG), get a list of database curators and collaborators, access other Database sites, and get documentation for database users, curators and programmers.

Example 1.1- Follow this example to get a feel for everything that is available from the ARS Genome Database Resource. The rest of the tutorial will focus on just one segment of this, the plant genome databases.

ARS Genome Database Resource
 
 

 What kind of databases are available at the ARS Genome Database Resource?

In addition to the Plant Genome Databases, there are a large number of non-plant genome and reference databases available, and the total number of databases continues to grow. Most databases are accessed using the WWW ACEDB interface, so they will have the same look and feel. Once you become familiar with the ACEDB interface by following the tutorial, you can investigate Mendelian Inheritance in Animals (OMIA), or find information on medicinal plants of Native America or worldwide plant uses found within the botanical databases.

Example 1.2- Follow this example to get a feel for all the other databases available from the Databases home page. The rest of the tutorial will focus on just the plant genome databases, but a number of reference databases and genome databases for animal and other organisms are also available.

ARS Genome Database Resource

Go back to the tutorial Home Page

Go on to the next lesson

Return to the Plant Genome Data and Information Center Home Page