NAR Molecular Biology Database Collection entry number 956

http://www.kew.org/genomesize/homepage.html

Bennett M.D. and, Leitch I.J.

Jodrell Laboratory, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Richmond, Surrey, TW9 3AB, UK

Contact dnac-value@kew.org

The Plant DNA C-values database (http://www.kew.org/genomesize/homepage.html) provides a one-stop, user-friendly database where plant genome sizes can be readily accessed and compared. The most recent release (release 4.0, October 2005) contains genome size data for 5,150 species comprising 4,427 angiosperms, 207 gymnosperms, 87 monilophytes and lycopods, 176 bryophytes and 253 algal species compiled from over 550 publications or personal communications.
Data are accessible though a variety of search options that allow users to either analyse genome size data across different plant groups or search within taxonomically-specific subsections of the database (e.g. just angiosperms).

The database contains information (where available) for the following fields: (i) plant group (e.g., angiosperm, gymnosperm etc.), (ii) family, (iii) genus, (iv) species, (v) taxonomic authority, (vi) genome size, for which users have the choice of outputting data in pg or Mb and choosing between 1C, 2C or 4C DNA content, (vii) ploidy, (viii) chromosome number , (ix) method used to estimate the genome size, (x) information on taxonomic vouchers that may exist for the species analyzed, and (xi) the full bibliographic reference from which the original data were taken. In addition, at the end of each output, the number of records returned and summary statistics (minimum, maximum, mean and standard deviations) of these records are given.
Users are required to provide an email address to query the database, which aids in the tracking of usage and in the protection of intellectual property, but otherwise there are no restrictions whatsoever on access.
Besides genome size data, the website includes a summary of the development and release history of the database, instructions on how to search the database, author contact information, links to other databases containing genome size data, and meeting reports from the international Plant Genome Size meetings held in 1997 and 2003 at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
As the database is compiled from published and unpublished sources, updating the database is an ongoing project and further updates are planned on a regular basis.

1. Gregory, T.R., Nicol, J.A., Tamm, H.; Kullman, B., Kullman, K., Leitch, I.J., Murray, B.G., Kapraun, D.F., Greilhuber, J., Bennett, M.D. (2007) Eukaryotic genome size databases. Nucleic Acids Research 35: in press.

Go to the abstract in the NAR 2007 Database Issue.

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