KEGG as a reference resource for gene and protein annotation

KEGG (http://www.kegg.jp/ or http://www.genome.jp/ kegg/) is an integrated database resource for biological interpretation of genome sequences and other high-throughput data. Molecular functions of genes and proteins are associated with ortholog groups and stored in the KEGG Orthology (KO) database. The KEGG pathway maps, BRITE hierarchies and KEGG modules are developed as networks of KO nodes, representing high-level functions of the cell and the organism. Currently, more than 4000 complete genomes are annotated with KOs in the KEGG GENES database, which can be used as a reference data set for KO assignment and subsequent reconstruction of KEGG pathways and other molecular networks. As an annotation resource, the following improvements have been made. First, each KO record is re-examined and associated with protein sequence data used in experiments of functional characterization. Second, the GENES database now includes viruses, plasmids, and the addendum category for functionally cha...

• Type: Journal
• Year: 2016
• Where: NAR
• Authors: Minoru Kanehisa, Yoko Sato, Masayuki Kawashima, Miho Furumichi, Mao Tanabe
• Keywords: NAR 2016