DATABASE SEARCH
The DG-CST database contains all the annotations and is designed to allow easy retrieval of CST information. Searching is supported in a number of different ways. A graphic browser allows direct visualization of the CSTs, within the context of the relative gene and its transcripts. Briefly, CST information can be accessed in the following ways: By choosing from a list of all analyzed disease genes available in the home page (Figure 1A and B).By selecting one or more genes either as a quick search option from the home page (Figure 1A, black box) or following the ‘gene’ link. Gene selection may be carried out by gene symbol, disease name and several other criteria, also in combination (Figure 1E).By querying the database for CSTs selected according to a large number of annotated features, alone or in combination, in the ‘Advanced’ section (Figure 1D). To facilitate the search, reduced feature sets are available where CSTs can be searched by (a) DNA-based features such as presence of tandem repeats, palindromes, SNPs (Figure 1C); (b) RNA-based features such as presence of putative secondary structures, matches with ESTs, GENSCAN predicted exons; (c) protein-coding features, such as exon annotation, coding potential, BLAST matches with proteins; (d) CSTs localized to selected chromosomal regions.Finally, CSTs can be searched by BLAST sequence analysis from the home page (Figure 1A, red box). Each CST entry present in DG-CST is assigned a unique identifier (CST ID) that can also be used to quickly find the CST from different sections of the database, including the home page.