AmpliBASE MT super(TM): a Mycobacterium tuberculosis diversity knowledgebase

• Published in: Bioinformatics Vol. 20; no. 6; pp. 989 - 992
• Main Authors: Majeed, Ahmed A, Ahmed, Niyaz, Rao, KRajender, Ghousunnissa, S, Kauser, Farhana, Bose, Buddhaditta, Nagarajaram, HA, Katoch, V M, Cousins, Debby V, Sechi, Leonardo A, Gilman, Robert H, Hasnain, Seyed E
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 01.01.2004
• Subjects: Mycobacterium tuberculosis
• ISSN: 1367-4803; 1460-2059
• DOI: 10.1093/bioinformatics/bth051

AmpliBASE MT super(TM) is an online databank of high-resolution DNA fingerprints representing fluorescent amplified fragment length polymorphism (FAFLP) profiles or amplitypes developed for the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex strains from 48 different countries. AmpliBASE MT super(TM) is based on a relational database management system that is hyperlinked to visualize genotyping results in the form of DNA fingerprint images for individual strains. A flexible search system based on systematic comparisons of fragment sizes in base pairs allows inter-laboratory comparison of FAFLP profiles. Besides this, the database also displays previously published data on IS6110 profiles, spoligotypes, MIRU-VNTRs and large sequence polymorphisms along with the FAFLP records that will give the overall comparisons. Being the first of its kind, AmpliBASE MT super(TM) is expected to be a very helpful tool in strengthening the concept of 'geographic genomics' and will be very helpful to molecular epidemiologists and those interested in diagnostic development for tuberculosis.