Research interests
FlyBase is a database of genetic, genomic and functional data for the model organism Drosophila melanogaster. We integrate information from the research literature and various external databases and projects, and make these data available to the research community via our public website. In so doing, FlyBase provides an essential bioinformatic resource to the genetics, genomics and biomedical research communities all over the world.
The FlyBase project is a collaboration between four groups based at Harvard University, USA (PI Norbert Perrimon); Indiana University, USA (PIs Thom Kaufman and Brian Calvi); The University of New Mexico, USA (PI Richard Cripps); and The University of Cambridge, UK (PI Nick Brown). FlyBase is also a founding member of the Alliance of Genome Resources, which aims to harmonise biological information for human and model organisms into a single database.
The primary task of the FlyBase-Cambridge group is to identify and capture relevant genetic and functional data from scientific articles about Drosophila. These data include all genetic entities (genes, alleles, transgenic constructs, etc.), phenotypes, genetic interactions and gene product functions. We also curate single-cell RNAseq datasets (in collaboration with the Single Cell Expression Atlas) and neural expression data (in collaboration with Virtual Fly Brain), and organise functional data into meaningful biological concepts, such as gene sets and signaling/metabolic pathways. Other responsibilities of our group include the maintenance of the FlyBase bibliography and the development of controlled vocabularies (ontologies) used in literature curation.
Enquiries regarding FlyBase-Cambridge should be sent to the Group Manager, Steven Marygold. General enquires and feedback about FlyBase should be communicated using the Contact FlyBase form.
Key publications
Gramates LS, Agapite J, Attrill H, Calvi BR, Crosby MA, dos Santos G, Goodman JL, Goutte-Gattat D, Jenkins VK, Kaufman T, Larkin A, Matthews BB, Millburn G, Strelets VB and the FlyBase Consortium (2022) FlyBase: A guided tour of highlighted features. Genetics 220(4) iyac035
The Alliance of Genome Resources Consortium (2020) Harmonizing model organism data in the Alliance of Genome Resources. Genetics 220(4) iyac022
Gene Ontology Consortium (2023) The Gene Ontology knowledgebase in 2023. Genetics 224(1):iyad031
Marygold SJ and the FlyBase Consortium (2023) Exploring FlyBase Data Using QuickSearch (Updated protocol) Current Protocols 3:e731