Databases in Biology
A database requires a formal data model
- Structures (in a wide sense): comparatively easy to formalize
- Sequences
- Protein 3D structures
- Taxonomic relationships
- But: physiology, cell biology?
Biological processes are more difficult to formalize
- Temporal phenomena are problematic in general
- Very few examples of temporally defined databases in biology
- Development of C. elegans, mouse: from embryo to adult
- Pathway DB's: chemical reactions (temporal?)
Gene Ontology is a step in this direction...