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FlyBase
Reference Manual A.
Getting Started With FlyBase
This section Last Updated:14 March 2006
FlyBase is a database of genetic and molecular data for Drosophila. FlyBase includes data on all species from the family Drosophilidae.
FlyBase is produced by a consortium of researchers funded by the National Institutes of Health, U.S.A., with additional funding from the Medical Research Council, London, and the Indiana Genomics Initiative. This consortium includes both Drosophila biologists and computer scientists at Harvard University, Indiana University and University of Cambridge (UK). A complete list of consortium members is available in Reference Manual I.5. The FlyBase Consortium. Details concerning sources of support may be found at I.7. Acknowledgments.
FlyBase includes the following:
FlyBase is an electronic publication that is copyrighted 1993 -- 2006 by the Genetics Society of America. Copying in whole or part for commercial uses requires written consent. Copying for non-commercial, scientific uses is permitted. Other copyrights pertain to portions of FlyBase from other sources; see the copyright section of Reference Manual I: The FlyBase Project for further information.
The database is available through FlyBase servers, as partial mirrors on other servers and as flat files available by FTP. The full database includes data files, documents, indices, forms, reports and images and is maintained on a multi-protocol server that supports a variety of tools and formats.
The best use of FlyBase is made with a recent-release web client. The URL for the primary FlyBase server is:
FlyBase mirrors are listed at Reference Manual C.1. Reaching the FlyBase Homepage.
Instructions for use of FlyBase FTP servers are available in Reference Manual D.2. FlyBase by FTP.
On the FlyBase top page are sections described as 'Data Classes'. These links go to comprehensive pages that list all documents, searches, and browseable listings relevant to that specific class of data. For the convenience of those already familiar with the options available, to the right of each data class link are direct links to the most commonly used search tools, maps, and browseable listings.
The FlyBase Site Map gives a comprehensive listing of the searches and resources available on FlyBase. In addition to links to all FlyBase resources, the FlyBase Site Map also contains brief descriptions of each resource.
For an overview of the types of search options available, an alternate entry point from the top page is the All Search Tools link. This page provides links to all search and browsing options available at FlyBase, and includes additional options available at the Bloomington Stock Center, and BDGP. There is also a link to help documentation, with general information on how to use FlyBase search tools.
Many FlyBase queries (including the QuickSearch option on the top page) allow the use of the specific field "symbol". If you know the valid symbol for the genetic entity of interest, this is more efficient than searching via the "all text" field.
Additional information may be found at FlyBase Reference Manual C: Using FlyBase on the Web. This section includes information on search options and how to use FlyBase search tools.
Information on citing FlyBase may be found at FlyBase Reference Manual I.2. How to reference FlyBase.
FlyBase welcomes comments and suggestions from the community. Please send questions about use of FlyBase services or comments about FlyBase to: flybase-help at morgan.harvard.edu (reformat as standard e-mail address).
If you wish to contribute corrections to published data, or new data that will not be included in a journal publication, send your e-mail communication to: flybase-updates at morgan.harvard.edu (reformat as standard e-mail address), or by regular mail to: FlyBase, Biological Laboratories, Harvard University, 16 Divinity Ave, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA.
Data from individuals are curated by FlyBase as 'Personal communication to FlyBase from <submitter> <date>' and are linked as references to the appropriate FlyBase records.
Please note that the vast majority of information in FlyBase is collected from the literature or the genome projects. FlyBase does not curate data submitted prior to publication.
A.5. Learning More About FlyBase
The structure and use of FlyBase are documented in this Reference Manual. To use FlyBase most effectively you should read Reference Manual C: Using FlyBase on the Web. Additional information about the individual sections of FlyBase is in Reference Manual B: Detailed Descriptions of FlyBase Structure and Data. Information about the FlyBase Project, including how to reference FlyBase, is found in Reference Manual I: The FlyBase Project.
Documents of various types are placed in the Documents section of FlyBase. Included are guidelines on the use of Drosophila genetic nomenclature, both versions of the Redbook, personal communications to FlyBase, FlyBase documentation, controlled-vocabulary lists, postings to the network newsgroup bionet.drosophila, copies of the announcements that appear on FlyBase, subject indices from DIS, and more.
Information about Allied Data may be found at FlyBase Reference Manual H: Allied Data.