Ensembl Genomes Plants Blast

Ensembl Genomes Plants Blast performs sequence similarity searches against plant genomic datasets hosted by Ensembl to identify homologous sequences and support comparative and functional genomic analyses.

Key Features:

• Integration with Ensembl Genomes: Integrated with Ensembl Genomes to access genome annotation, analysis, storage, and dissemination across multiple plant species.
• Comprehensive data coverage: Searches sequences from 87 annotated species available on the Ensembl main and early access websites.
• WU-BLAST algorithm: Employs the WU-BLAST algorithm for sequence alignment and homology detection.
• Variant Effect Predictor (VEP) integration: Integrates with VEP, including additional third-party data, for functional annotation of genetic variants.
• Scalable analysis and data retrieval: Supports large-scale analyses via the Ensembl REST API and rapid retrieval of regulatory data through BioMart.

Scientific Applications:

• Comparative genomics: Identify homologous sequences and conserved regions across plant species for evolutionary and comparative studies.
• Functional genomics: Predict effects of genetic variants in plant genomes using VEP integration for functional annotation.
• Regulatory studies: Investigate regulatory elements and associated regulatory data using BioMart retrieval.

Methodology:

Sequence alignments are performed using the WU-BLAST algorithm to detect homologous sequences within the Ensembl plant datasets.