New and Updated Online Tutorials for ASTD, Entrez Protein and MMDB

Comprehensive tutorials on the ASTD, Entrez Protein, and MMDB databases enable researchers to quickly and effectively use these invaluable variation resources.

Seattle, WA (PRWEB) September 24, 2008 -- OpenHelix (http://www.openhelix.com) today announced the availability of new tutorial suites on the Alternative Splicing and Transcript Diversity (ASTD) database, Entrez Protein and the Molecular Modeling Database (MMDB).ASTD (http://www.ebi.ac.uk/astd/main.html) is an European Bioinformatics Institute (EBI) resource for alternative splice events and transcripts for the human, mouse, and rat systems. Entrez protein (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?db=protein) is a comprehensive database of protein information brought to you by the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI). MMDB (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/Structure/MMDB/mmdb.shtml) is another NCBI resource which contains an extensive collection of three-dimensional protein structures with detailed annotation that can be used to learn about the structure and function of many proteins. Together these three tutorials give the researcher an excellent set of resources to carry their research from transcript to 3d protein structure.

The tutorial suites, available for single purchase or through a low-priced yearly subscription to all OpenHelix tutorials, contain a narrated, self-run, online tutorial, slides with full script, handouts and exercises. With the tutorials, researchers can quickly learn to effectively and efficiently use these resources. These tutorials will teach users:

ASTD

* to perform Quick and Advanced searches

* to navigate gene and transcript report pages

* to predict intron/exon boundaries and likely regulatory protein binding site

* to search manually curated data regarding alternate splicing

Entrez Protein

* to perform basic and advanced searches utilizing the many available tools and options

* to understand the protein records and exploit the many internal and external links you are provided with

* to explore some of the resources provided by the NCBI network of databases, such as "My NCBI"

MMDB

* to search MMDB using both basic and advanced query techniques

* to understand the detailed results you obtain

* to visualize and manipulate structures using NCBI's Cn3D structural viewer

* to locate and view structurally aligned homologs

To find out more about these and other tutorial suites visit the OpenHelix Tutorial Catalog (http://inter.viewcentral.com/events/cust/catalog.aspx?cid=openhelix) and OpenHelix (http://www.openhelix) or visit the OpenHelix Blog (http://www.openhelix.com/blog) for up-to-date information on genomics.

About OpenHelix

OpenHelix, LLC, provides the genomics knowledge you need when you need it. OpenHelix currently provides online self-run tutorials and on-site training for institutions and companies on the most powerful and popular free, web based, publicly accessible bioinformatics resources. In addition, OpenHelix is contracted by resource providers to provide comprehensive, long-term training and outreach programs.

###