February 1, 2015 (Vol. 35, No. 3)
Rating:
Strong Points: Mobile access to thousands of pathway/genome databases
Weak Points: Internet access or data plan required
Platform:
iPad/iPhone
Cost:
Free
Summary:
The BioCyc Pathway/Genome Databases app is a complementary resource to the website of the same name. The BioCyc database is a collection of close to 5500 pathway/genome databases. All of these can be browsed via the iPad/iPhone app (internet connection required). Upon selecting a particular database—for example HumanCyc, the human pathway/genome database—users can browse and select individual genes to display the gene name, chromosome location (and in some cases actual DNA sequence), ontology terms, and pathway diagrams (when available). The app is a bit misleading in that it lists the E. coli database (EcoCyc) as being “on this device,” but internet access (or a data plan) is required to access the content.
