Database Commons

a catalog of worldwide biological databases

The Olfactory Receptor Database (ORDB) is a WWW-accessible database that has been expanded from an olfactory receptor resource to a chemoreceptor resource. It stores data on six classes of G-protein-coupled sensory chemoreceptors: (i) olfactory receptor-like proteins, (ii) vomeronasal receptors, (iii) insect olfactory receptors, (iv) worm chemo-receptors, (v) taste papilla receptors and (vi) fungal pheromone receptors. A complementary database of the ligands of these receptors (OdorDB) has been constructed and is publicly available in a pilot mode. The database schema of ORDB has been changed from traditional relational to EAV/CR (Entity-Attribute-Value with Classes and Relationships), which allows the interoperability of ORDB with other related databases as well as the creation of intra-database associations among objects. This inter-operability facilitates users to follow information from odor molecule binding to its putative receptor, to the properties of the neuron expressing the receptor, to a computational model of activity of olfactory bulb neurons. In addition, tools and resources have been added allowing users to access interactive phylogenetic trees and alignments of sensory chemoreceptors. ORDB is available via the WWW at http://ycmi.med. yale.edu/senselab/ordb/

The Olfactory Receptor Database (ORDB) is a WWW-accessible database that stores data on Olfactory Receptor-like molecules (ORs) and has been open to the public since June 1996. It contains a public and a private area. The public area includes published DNA and protein sequence data for ORs, links to OR models and data on their expression, chromosomal localization and source organism, as well as (i) links to bibliography through PubMed and (ii) interactive WWW-based tools, such as BLAST homology searching. The private area functions as a service to laboratories that are actively cloning receptors. Source laboratories enter the sequences of the receptor clones they have characterized to the private database and can search for identical or near identical OR sequences in both public and private databases. If another laboratory has cloned and deposited an identical or closely matching sequence there are means for communication between the laboratories to help avoid duplication of work. ORDB is available via the WWW at http://crepe.med.yale.edu/ORDB/HTML