Absolute Beginner’s Guide To Plant Databases bioinformatics

What is bioinformatics ?

In biology, bioinformatics is defined as, “the use of computer to store, retrieve, analyze or predict the composition or structure of bio–molecules” . Bioinformatics is the application of computational techniques and information technology to the organization and management of biological data. Classical bioinformatics deals primarily with sequence analysis.

Aims of bioinformatics

Development of database containing all biological information.

Development of better tools for data designing, annotation and mining.

Design and development of drugs by using simulation software.

Design and development of software tools for protein structure prediction function, annotation and docking analysis.

Creation and development of software to improve tools for analyzing sequences for their function and similarity with other sequences

Biological databases

Biological data are complex, exception–ridden, vast and incomplete. Therefore several databases has been created and interpreted to ensure unambiguous results. A collection of biological data arranged in computer readable form that enhances the speed of search and retrieval and convenient to use is called biological database. A good database must have updated information.

Importance of biological database

A range of information like biological sequences, structures, binding sites, metabolic interactions, molecular action, functional relationships, protein families, motifs and homologous can be retrieved by using biological databases. The main purpose of a biological database is to store and manage biological data and information in computer readable forms.