September 1, 2008 (Vol. 28, No. 15)

URL:
http://cmr.tigr.org

Rating:
Strong Points: Well organized, nicely focused
Weak Points: None

Summary:
The website for The Institute for Genome Research (TIGR) has undergone many transformations over the years and each one has been an improvement. The latest iteration, dubbed the Comprehensive Microbial Resource (CMR), scores big in its tidy interface and in the easy access it provides to sequences from publicly available prokaryotic genomes. At press time, this included 384 complete genomes (prokaryotic, archaeans, and viruses) and 17 draft prokaryotic genomes. The site excels in anticipating the needs of its users. For example, Genome Tools tidily organizes lists of genomes, summary information, graphics displays, and analysis tools. Search options allow users to locate genes, genomes, sequences, and specific text. Comparative tools include protein homologies, alignments, and attributes. Sequences can be easily downloaded by FTP. Is there anything these folks haven’t thought of? I think not.

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