We propose to develop a relational database system for developmental and genetic information from the zebrafish and a user interface to this database accessible over the Internet. Our goals are: a) to provide meaningful ways of relating developmental information; this will facilitate understanding their regulation and functions. For example, by knowing which genes are expressed along the pathway of a growing neuronal axon, which mutations affect expression of these genes, and how the axon grows in these mutants, we can learn whether specific genes regulate where the axon grows. b) To aid in understanding relationships among different vertebrates, we propose to coordinate implementation of the database with the mouse and human brain database projects. Linking data describing synteny relationships, mutant phenotypes, and gene expression between species will provide tools for identifying new developmental genes and the molecular mechanisms of disease. c) We will design this database system as a model which can also be used to organize information from other organisms. As a first step, we have already solicited help from a small number of labs that are willing to represent the zebrafish and mouse research communities to plan and implement this database system and we have tested initial designs for a user interface. The data for this system are already being generated by separately funded research projects. We propose 2 specific aims:

1. We will establish a database system for neuronal, genetic, and developmental zebrafish data. We will integrate into the database a variety of different kinds of data including morphological (image), physiological (graphical/spatial), genetic (graphical/spatial, text), and informational (text) data. Use of a database system will allow meaningful queries based on the relationships among various data, even data of different types. This requires that we develop a logical data model which will define the various data types and the attributes that describe them. This model will be developed collaboratively by representatives from the zebrafish community, working together with computer scientists and representatives from human, mouse, and fly labs. The zebrafish research community has already appointed a small consortium of labs (in Eugene, Boston and London) who are willing to serve as test sites for development of the database system. Each lab generates a particular type of data that will be entered and maintained in its local database. To make the data widely available to the entire community, we will establish database servers at these sites, linked via the Internet. Each site will implement the same logical data model. We will employ many labs to test the performance of the system; we will evaluate our progress and plan further development of the system at biannual meetings of the consortium labs.

2. We will develop graphical user interfaces (GUIs) for creating, maintaining, querying, and displaying database information. We will establish methods to allow world-wide access to the database system over the Internet. We will develop a World Wide Web (WWW) and Internet access interface for entering data, submitting queries, and downloading data records to labs everywhere. The user interface will ensure the security, integrity and compatibility of the data; users will submit new data to and query the database using terms that are well understood by biologists.

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