SOYBASE: A USEFUL TOOL FOR SOYBEAN RESEARCH

¹ USDA-ARS Corn Insect and Crop Genetics Research Unit and Department of Agronomy, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011

² Department of Agronomy, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011

SoyBase is the USDA soybean genome and genetics database. It provides geneticists and breeders easy access to data from many laboratories, the literature and other databases (Genbank, GRIN, PVP, BIOSIS, AGRICOLA). It is an ACE-type database with hypertext links between classes and an easy to use graphical interface. This means, for example, that following a path through the database from a locus’ map position to detailed information about that gene or marker is as simple as clicking on the links. Other related information is clearly indicated and is also available through the hypertext links. We have recently completed the construction of the first complete composite genetic map for soybean. This entailed collecting and collating map data from more than a dozen molecular mapping studies and includes more than 1870 loci (RFLP, AFLP, RAPD, SSR and classical genes). All published QTL in soybean have also been placed on the composite map. See the poster by Marcia Imsande at this meeting for complete details. In addition to genetic maps, SoyBase also contains extensive information on the pathologies of soybean, nodulins and nodulation, and the seed and vegetative storage proteins. A major component of SoyBase are the sections on metabolism. These contain detailed information on more than 600 enzymes and 750 metabolites organized into 62 hyperlinked diagrams of important reactions and pathways. SoyBase (http://genome.cornell.edu/cgi-bin/WebAce?db=soybase) can be accessed over the WWW or from the SoyBase home page (http://129.186.26.94).