DOGS - database of genome sizes

[Nikolaj Blom]

October 9, 1996

Dear Colleague,

We hereby would like to announce the existence of the Database of
Genome Sizes (DOGS) which is made available to the research community.

Briefly, we have started to collect information about genome sizes of
all organisms and provide this information in a simple format. Since
1995 marked the appearance of the first two completely sequenced
organisms (H.influenzae and M.genitalium) we are certain to see an
increase in the number of exactly known genome sizes relative to the
number of estimated genome sizes.

Estimates of the genome size of a certain organism will primarily roam
within the research field studying that organism. To improve the
quality of the DOGS database, we therefore rely on the willingness of
these scientists to submit this information for our database or to
point us to relevant sources, either personal or in the literature.

Please contribute YOUR knowledge.

See the README file below for more details.


Sincerely yours,

Nikolaj Blom, PhD-student
E-mail: nikob at cbs.dtu.dk

Kristoffer Rapacki, system manager
E-mail: rapacki at cbs.dtu.dk


DOGS database:
http://www.cbs.dtu.dk/databases/DOGS/index.html



----------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------
README.txt:
----------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------



DOGS - Database Of Genome Sizes
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Introduction

While gathering data for a lecture on sequence analysis we became aware
of the great interest in the research community for a comprehensive
list of (estimated) genome sizes for different organisms. The purpose
of this database is to provide such a list.

The ultimate goal is to compile a list of all the known organisms and
their respective genome sizes. Both the completed and estimated genomes
are listed. The estimated genome sizes are given for both the organisms
currently being sequenced and those for which no sequencing programme
is in progress.


Sources of information

The genome sizes that we provide have been collected from the
scientific literature and personal communications. Whenever possible
the reference is listed. Alternative estimates exist for many
uncompleted genomes. In such cases the newest reference will be quoted
first, followed by less recent estimates.

We do not claim that the data and the references listed to support them
are in any way superior to other sources of information. They should be
subjected to validation by users in possession of expert knowledge. We
expect the users to return comments and suggestions of more accurate
data and more appropriate references.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

The database can be reached by anonymous FTP:

ftp.cbs.dtu.dk  	/pub/dogs/

or by WWW:

http://www.cbs.dtu.dk/databases/DOGS/index.html

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Files available by FTP:

README.txt	 	This file

format.txt		Description of the DOGS database format

dogs.dat		Complete DOGS database

abbr_table.txt		Table of most recent genome size estimates for
			all the organisms present in the database. The 
			references are not shown. 
			
GBgrowth.ps		A table of Top Twenty organisms in the latest 
			GenBank release and their genome sizes. A 
			graph showing the growth of GenBank is included.
		
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Acknowledgements

Our thanks are due to Dr Tom Schneider for friendly encouragement and
helpful suggestions 
(E-mail: toms at ncifcrf.gov, WWW: http://www-lmmb.ncifcrf.gov/~toms).

----------------------------------------------------------------------

New data, comments and suggestions

Please send new data, comments and suggestions to:

Nikolaj Blom, E-mail: nikob at cbs.dtu.dk
(http://www.cbs.dtu.dk/staff/nikob.html)

or 

Kristoffer Rapacki, E-mail: rapacki at cbs.dtu.dk
(http://www.cbs.dtu.dk/staff/rapacki.html)


First version: April 11, 1996
This version:  Oct.   9, 1996
----------------------------------------------------------------------

-- 
////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
Nikolaj Blom, PhD-student
                                 Center for Biological Sequence Analysis
phone1: +45 4525 2484            Department of Chemistry
phone2: +45 4525 2477            The Technical University of Denmark
fax:    +45 4593 4808            Building 207
e-mail: nikob at cbs.dtu.dk         DK-2800 Lyngby  Denmark

WWW:    http://www.cbs.dtu.dk/staff/nikob.html
////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////