ASTD

ASTD aggregates databases and resources to analyze alternative splicing and transcript diversity by capturing alternative intron/exon usage, alternative exons, splice regulatory motifs, and minigene constructs.

Key Features:

• AltSplice: Provides detailed information on alternative intron/exon usage and categorizes splice event types that contribute to transcript diversity.
• AltExtron: Identifies alternative exons and characterizes isoform-specific splice patterns to support analysis of how different splicing variants are generated.
• AEdb (Alternative Exon Database): AEdb-Sequence contains sequences and properties of alternatively spliced exons; AEdb-Function provides data linking splice variations to functional implications; AEdb-motif catalogs known splice regulatory motifs that influence splicing decisions; AEdb-minigene is a collection of minigene constructs used for experimental validation of alternative splicing events.

Scientific Applications:

• Genomic Research: Provides detailed alternative splicing data to support studies of genetic diversity and its implications in health and disease.
• Functional Genomics: Links splice variants to gene and protein function to facilitate analysis of how alternative splicing affects cellular processes.
• Regulatory Studies: Enables exploration of splice regulatory motifs and their roles in controlling splicing and post-transcriptional regulation.

Methodology:

ASTD curates and integrates diverse alternative splicing datasets, employs data management strategies to ensure interoperability between resources, and supports access to genetic variation data and large-scale analyses via services such as the Embassy Cloud, aligning with priorities of institutions like EMBL-EBI.