VariVis: a visualisation toolkit for variation databases

Background: With the completion of the Human Genome Project and recent advancements in mutation detection technologies, the volume of data available on genetic variations has risen considerably. These data are stored in online variation databases and provide important clues to the cause of diseases and potential side effects or resistance to drugs. However, the data presentation techniques employed by most of these databases make them difficult to use and understand. Results: Here we present a visualisation toolkit that can be employed by online variation databases to generate graphical models of gene sequence with corresponding variations and their consequences. The VariVis software package can run on any web server capable of executing Perl CGI scripts and can interface with numerous Database Management Systems and "flat-file" data files. VariVis produces two easily understandable graphical depictions of any gene sequence and matches these with variant data. While develope...

• Type: Journal
• Year: 2008
• Where: BMCBI
• Authors: Timothy D. Smith, Richard G. H. Cotton
• Keywords: BMCBI 2008, Databases, Online Variation Databases, Variation Databases