PhenCode: Frequently asked questions


TABLE OF CONTENTS


Why can't I find the Locus Variants track on the UCSC Genome Browser?

Unfortunately, the Scientific Advisory Board for the Browser has insisted that the Locus Variants track be removed from the resident tracks. There is concern that the data on this track would be misinterpreted and lead to unwarranted actions by patients.

We disagree with this opinion, and we are in the process of ascertaining exactly what the concerns are and how they can be addressed more constructively. We hope that this perception of dangerous information will be discussed more widely and a better solution adopted.

As a work-around, we have established a PhenCode query page which allows you to easily load the Locus Variants data into the Genome Browser as a custom track. It also provides most of the filter settings from the original track, and we plan to augment this with additional query capabilities. Once you have loaded the custom track, the usual navigation and other features of the UCSC site are available as before, including operations with the Table Browser and display via Genome Graphs.

We remain committed to wide dissemination and easy availability of human variation data as recorded in LSDBs.


What data sources are included in the Locus Variants track, and how many entries does it contain?

Status as of February 19, 2008:

Database# Variants# Track ItemsLinks to SourceAssociated with
AD&FTDMD 370373yes Alzheimer disease, frontotemporal dementia
ALPL 187187no Hypophosphatasia
ARdb 329329no AIS, Prostatic cancer
BGMUT 7622,177yes Blood groups
CA2base 2424yes Osteopetrosis with renal tubular acidosis
CASRdb 122122no Familial (benign) hypocalciuric hypercalcemia (FHH)
CBS 128128yes CBS Deficiency
CFMDB 1,4851,491yes Cystic fibrosis
CLCN7base 2626yes Autosomal dominant osteopetrosis, type 2
dbPEX 220220yes Peroxisome assembly diseases
F12base 22yes Angioedema type III
FHC Mutation Database 238240yes Familial hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
HbVar 1,2811,523yes Hemoglobinopathies
HIFD 782795yes Intermediate filament(76 distinct diseases)
IARC TP53 3,8783,878no Cancer
IDbases 2,3602,360yes Immune deficiencies
IPNMDB 886991no Peripheral neuropathies
ISTH SSC VWF 359359yes von Willebrand Factor
KinMutBase 565565yes Protein kinase domains
LMDp 1,8481,848yes Muscular dystrophy
LQTSdb 265269yes Heart disease
OSTM1base 33yes Autosomal recessive osteopetrosis
PAHdb 519524yes Phenylketonuria
RettBASE 599599yes Rett syndrome
RISN 1,7081,708yes Retinal disorders
SRD5A24242no Prostate and breast cancer
X-ALD 466473no X-linked Adrenoleukodystrophy
LSDB TOTALS19,45421,256
 
Swiss-Prot23,89824,055yes

In progress:

more data from LMDp (Leiden Muscular Dystrophy pages), Fanconi, dbRIP, Nephro
... and more coming soon!


What do the '..' in the HGVS-style names mean?

This variant involves more than one change. The '..' shows that the parts of the HGVS-style name that do not describe this position have been left off. This is done to keep the labels short on the browser and to make it clear which mutation you are viewing.


Why do the HGVS name and the common name indicate different positions for the variant?

The HGVS-style coding names all use the A of the ATG as position 1. Some of the LSDBs also use this as their starting point when assigning the common name, but some use other starting points.


Why doesn't the reference nucleotide listed in the substitution match the nucleotide in the Browser?

First check the strand that is displayed and make sure it is the same strand as the variant's reference sequence (usually the same as a nearby gene). Also, for polymorphisms, the allele that is considered to be "wild type" is somewhat arbitrary. The nucleotide changes listed for a variant are based on the stated reference sequence used by the source LSDB, which may differ from the whole-genome assembly you are currently viewing in the Browser. The LSDB's reference sequence is often specified as part of the HGVS-style name.


Can I download the data from PhenCode?

Yes. The data and database table descriptions are available here.


What are the steps for adding a newly contributed data source to the track?

Each database has its own unique traits, so the exact steps and the challenges met along the way will vary. We provide an example describing a fairly simple case.


How can I obtain the programs used to convert from coordinates in a database's reference sequence to chromosome coordinates?

The generic utility routines are freely available for use "as-is". A main script similar to this sample is also necessary, but must be customized for each data source.



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