An interactive virtual worm

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Would you like to browse a virtual 3D interactive atlas of the worm?  Check out the ‘virtual worm’ at the Virtual Worm Project, a computer generated 3D model of the adult hermaphrodite of Caenorhabditis elegans at cellular resolution. Browse the model interactively in the 3D graphics program, Blender, or through any WebGL-enabled web browser, via the Open Worm Browser. See this page for a list of supporting browsers.  The Virtual Worm site includes several ~5 minute video tutorials explaining how to use and view the model in Blender.

Currently, WormBase is using this model to generate expression pattern images based on curated expression pattern objects in the database.  The Virtual Worm image can be viewed by opening the expression widget on the WormBase gene page. If the gene has post-embryonic spatial expression information, a Virtual Worm image is depicted of the cells and tissues in which it is expressed.  In the future we hope to embed the browsable Virtual Worm model directly into the WormBase website, with added anatomy meta-data, as well as hyperlinks to relevant anatomy pages. We also plan on developing 3D models of embryonic and larval stages as well as the adult male. For any questions, comments, or suggestions, please contact Chris Grove at cgrove@caltech.edu.

Developments to the Gene Ontology

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Last week in Pasadena, with WormBase as the host, a group of 50 curators, bio-informaticians, principal investigators and developers from several databases including the arabidopsis, yeast, zebrafish, fly, E. coli, mouse and human databases, gathered to discuss the biological relevance of the Gene Ontology (GO) and improvements to it. Several topics were discussed including how to make the GO more amenable to users and to provide tools and resources, so that users could analyze their data using the GO, in more meaningful ways.  Some of the tools and improvements discussed related to ontology browsers, enrichment tools, and the extension of GO annotations to better capture the biology of a gene.  The GO website itself is undergoing an overhaul to make it better.  To learn more about the GO, visit www.geneontology.org.

Enhanced C. elegans RNAi library – supplementary clones now available to order from Source BioScience

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The C.elegans RNAi library has been extended with 3507 new supplementary bacterial clones and now targets around 87% of currently annotated C.elegans genes. Purchase the complete set of all clones or individual chromosome sets (I, II, III, IV, V and X) which include the pre-existing and new supplemental strains. The complete supplementary sets of RNAi clones and individual chromosome suplementary sets (I, II, III, IV, V and X) are also available to order for those who have previously purchased the pre-existing library.

Order now to complete your sets