- Course overview
- Search within this course
- Why Ensembl?
- What is Ensembl?
- When to use Ensembl
- How to access Ensembl
- How to search Ensembl
- Exploring sources of biological data
- Navigating Ensembl
- Customise Ensembl
- Manage your data
- Export data
- Download data with BioMart
- Bulk download genome-wide data files with FTP
- Ensembl tools
- Summary
- Guided examples of using Ensembl
- Exercises
- Your feedback
- Get help and support on Ensembl
- Acknowledgements
- Learn more
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Why Ensembl?
The vast amount of information that comes with annotating a genomic sequence demands a way of organising and accessing that information (Figure 1). This need is met by Ensembl – a genome browser providing free access to the complete sequences of higher and model organisms.
Biological databases are an important resource for the life sciences community. Keeping up-to-date with the hundreds of databases supporting molecular biology and related fields is a daunting and time-consuming task. Integrating this information into one access point is a necessity.
Genome browsers and their underlying databases act as single entry points to data from multiple projects and genomic analyses, such as genes and proteins, sequence variation, comparative genomics and motifs involved in gene regulation.
Ensembl and Ensembl Genomes are major projects integrating and displaying genome annotation for multiple species.