xBASE 2.0 Preview

We're happy to announce the xBASE 2.0 Preview site.

xBASE 2.0 represents a substantial backend re-write of the code, and an entirely new database based on the BioSQL schema.

We would be very pleased to gather any community feedback at this stage. We are particularly interested in:

• bugs that affect the functioning of the site
• any missing datasets that are key to your research
• any features from the old site that you miss

Your feedback can be posted as a comment under this blog item, or if you prefer contact me via e-mail.

This release will go on to replace the existing xBASE sites and microsites (colibase, campydb, pseudodb et al.) later this month.

A short list of the new functionality includes:

• multiple alignment viewer: real-time whole genome alignments can be performed and then more alignments stacked on top
• a completely new database schema using BioSQL, allowing easy updating of the genome datasets
• all genome data from microsites (e.g. campydb, colibase) exist within a single database, allowing cross-taxon comparisons for the first time
• an investment in new server hardware, resulting in speed increases
• graphical circular chromosome viewer
• more links to external databases
• a commitment to monthly database updates, a la Ensembl. We are calling the first database release number 20, to correspond to xBASE 2.0. Release 21 will be in September and regularly after that

Much more is just around the corner!