piRBase

piRBase provides a comprehensive database of piRNA sequences and associated annotations to support research into piRNA biology and disease associations.

Key Features:

• Extensive Sequence Database: piRBase v3.0 contains over 181 million unique piRNA sequences derived from 440 datasets across 44 species.
• Disease-Related Information: Includes a curated collection of disease-related piRNAs and their targets.
• Visualization Tools: Provides visualization tools that elucidate regulatory relationships between piRNAs and their targets.
• Enhanced Content: Introduces gold standard piRNA sets, piRNA clusters, piRNA variants, splicing-junction piRNAs, and detailed piRNA expression data.

Scientific Applications:

• Genomic organization and evolutionary dynamics: Exploration of piRNA clusters and variants to investigate genomic organization and evolutionary dynamics.
• Gene regulation and target interaction analysis: Identification of piRNA roles in gene regulation and analysis of piRNA–target interactions, including disease-associated targets.

Methodology:

Aggregates piRNA sequences from 440 datasets across 44 species; curates disease-related piRNAs and their targets; annotates gold standard piRNA sets, piRNA clusters, piRNA variants, and splicing-junction piRNAs; generates piRNA expression data; and implements visualization of piRNA–target regulatory relationships.