GlycoRDF: an ontology to standardize glycomics data in RDF.
BACKGROUND
Over the last decades several glycomics-based bioinformatics resources and databases have been created and released to the public. Unfortunately, there is no common standard in the representation of the stored information or a common machine-readable interface allowing bioinformatics groups to easily extract and cross-reference the stored information.


RESULTS
An international group of bioinformatics experts in the field of glycomics have worked together to create a standard Resource Description Framework (RDF) representation for glycomics data, focused on glycan sequences and related biological source, publications and experimental data. This RDF standard is defined by the GlycoRDF ontology and will be used by database providers to generate common machine-readable exports of the data stored in their databases.


METHODS
The ontology, supporting documentation and source code used by database providers to generate standardized RDF are available online (http://www.glycoinfo.org/GlycoRDF/).
Complex Carbohydrate Research Center, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA, Research Center for Medical Glycoscience, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, Tsukuba, Japan, Faculty of Engineering, Soka University, Tokyo, Japan, Biomolecular Frontiers Research Centre, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia, Database Center for Life Science, Research Organization of Information and Systems, Chiba, Japan, Institute of Veterinary Physiology and Biochemistry, Justus-Liebig-University Giessen, Giessen, Germany, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Niigata University, Niigata, Japan, N.D. Zelinsky Institute of Organic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia and Laboratory of Glyco-organic Chemistry, The Noguchi Institute, Tokyo, Japan.
Rene
R
Ranzinger
Complex Carbohydrate Research Center, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA, Research Center for Medical Glycoscience, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, Tsukuba, Japan, Faculty of Engineering, Soka University, Tokyo, Japan, Biomolecular Frontiers Research Centre, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia, Database Center for Life Science, Research Organization of Information and Systems, Chiba, Japan, Institute of Veterinary Physiology and Biochemistry, Justus-Liebig-University Giessen, Giessen, Germany, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Niigata University, Niigata, Japan, N.D. Zelinsky Institute of Organic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia and Laboratory of Glyco-organic Chemistry, The Noguchi Institute, Tokyo, Japan Complex Carbohydrate Research Center, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA, Research Center for Medical Glycoscience, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, Tsukuba, Japan, Faculty of Engineering, Soka University, Tokyo, Japan, Biomolecular Frontiers Research Centre, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia, Database Center for Life Science, Research Organization of Information and Systems, Chiba, Japan, Institute of Veterinary Physiology and Biochemistry, Justus-Liebig-University Giessen, Giessen, Germany, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Niigata University, Niigata, Japan, N.D. Zelinsky Institute of Organic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia and Laboratory of Glyco-organic Chemistry, The Noguchi Institute, Tokyo, Japan.
Kiyoko F
KF
Aoki-Kinoshita
Complex Carbohydrate Research Center, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA, Research Center for Medical Glycoscience, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, Tsukuba, Japan, Faculty of Engineering, Soka University, Tokyo, Japan, Biomolecular Frontiers Research Centre, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia, Database Center for Life Science, Research Organization of Information and Systems, Chiba, Japan, Institute of Veterinary Physiology and Biochemistry, Justus-Liebig-University Giessen, Giessen, Germany, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Niigata University, Niigata, Japan, N.D. Zelinsky Institute of Organic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia and Laboratory of Glyco-organic Chemistry, The Noguchi Institute, Tokyo, Japan.
Matthew P
MP
Campbell
Complex Carbohydrate Research Center, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA, Research Center for Medical Glycoscience, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, Tsukuba, Japan, Faculty of Engineering, Soka University, Tokyo, Japan, Biomolecular Frontiers Research Centre, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia, Database Center for Life Science, Research Organization of Information and Systems, Chiba, Japan, Institute of Veterinary Physiology and Biochemistry, Justus-Liebig-University Giessen, Giessen, Germany, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Niigata University, Niigata, Japan, N.D. Zelinsky Institute of Organic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia and Laboratory of Glyco-organic Chemistry, The Noguchi Institute, Tokyo, Japan.
Shin
S
Kawano
Complex Carbohydrate Research Center, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA, Research Center for Medical Glycoscience, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, Tsukuba, Japan, Faculty of Engineering, Soka University, Tokyo, Japan, Biomolecular Frontiers Research Centre, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia, Database Center for Life Science, Research Organization of Information and Systems, Chiba, Japan, Institute of Veterinary Physiology and Biochemistry, Justus-Liebig-University Giessen, Giessen, Germany, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Niigata University, Niigata, Japan, N.D. Zelinsky Institute of Organic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia and Laboratory of Glyco-organic Chemistry, The Noguchi Institute, Tokyo, Japan.
Thomas
T
Lütteke
Complex Carbohydrate Research Center, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA, Research Center for Medical Glycoscience, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, Tsukuba, Japan, Faculty of Engineering, Soka University, Tokyo, Japan, Biomolecular Frontiers Research Centre, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia, Database Center for Life Science, Research Organization of Information and Systems, Chiba, Japan, Institute of Veterinary Physiology and Biochemistry, Justus-Liebig-University Giessen, Giessen, Germany, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Niigata University, Niigata, Japan, N.D. Zelinsky Institute of Organic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia and Laboratory of Glyco-organic Chemistry, The Noguchi Institute, Tokyo, Japan.
Shujiro
S
Okuda
Complex Carbohydrate Research Center, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA, Research Center for Medical Glycoscience, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, Tsukuba, Japan, Faculty of Engineering, Soka University, Tokyo, Japan, Biomolecular Frontiers Research Centre, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia, Database Center for Life Science, Research Organization of Information and Systems, Chiba, Japan, Institute of Veterinary Physiology and Biochemistry, Justus-Liebig-University Giessen, Giessen, Germany, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Niigata University, Niigata, Japan, N.D. Zelinsky Institute of Organic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia and Laboratory of Glyco-organic Chemistry, The Noguchi Institute, Tokyo, Japan.
Daisuke
D
Shinmachi
Complex Carbohydrate Research Center, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA, Research Center for Medical Glycoscience, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, Tsukuba, Japan, Faculty of Engineering, Soka University, Tokyo, Japan, Biomolecular Frontiers Research Centre, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia, Database Center for Life Science, Research Organization of Information and Systems, Chiba, Japan, Institute of Veterinary Physiology and Biochemistry, Justus-Liebig-University Giessen, Giessen, Germany, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Niigata University, Niigata, Japan, N.D. Zelinsky Institute of Organic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia and Laboratory of Glyco-organic Chemistry, The Noguchi Institute, Tokyo, Japan.
Toshihide
T
Shikanai
Complex Carbohydrate Research Center, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA, Research Center for Medical Glycoscience, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, Tsukuba, Japan, Faculty of Engineering, Soka University, Tokyo, Japan, Biomolecular Frontiers Research Centre, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia, Database Center for Life Science, Research Organization of Information and Systems, Chiba, Japan, Institute of Veterinary Physiology and Biochemistry, Justus-Liebig-University Giessen, Giessen, Germany, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Niigata University, Niigata, Japan, N.D. Zelinsky Institute of Organic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia and Laboratory of Glyco-organic Chemistry, The Noguchi Institute, Tokyo, Japan.
Hiromichi
H
Sawaki
Complex Carbohydrate Research Center, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA, Research Center for Medical Glycoscience, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, Tsukuba, Japan, Faculty of Engineering, Soka University, Tokyo, Japan, Biomolecular Frontiers Research Centre, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia, Database Center for Life Science, Research Organization of Information and Systems, Chiba, Japan, Institute of Veterinary Physiology and Biochemistry, Justus-Liebig-University Giessen, Giessen, Germany, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Niigata University, Niigata, Japan, N.D. Zelinsky Institute of Organic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia and Laboratory of Glyco-organic Chemistry, The Noguchi Institute, Tokyo, Japan.
Philip
P
Toukach
Complex Carbohydrate Research Center, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA, Research Center for Medical Glycoscience, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, Tsukuba, Japan, Faculty of Engineering, Soka University, Tokyo, Japan, Biomolecular Frontiers Research Centre, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia, Database Center for Life Science, Research Organization of Information and Systems, Chiba, Japan, Institute of Veterinary Physiology and Biochemistry, Justus-Liebig-University Giessen, Giessen, Germany, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Niigata University, Niigata, Japan, N.D. Zelinsky Institute of Organic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia and Laboratory of Glyco-organic Chemistry, The Noguchi Institute, Tokyo, Japan.
Masaaki
M
Matsubara
Complex Carbohydrate Research Center, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA, Research Center for Medical Glycoscience, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, Tsukuba, Japan, Faculty of Engineering, Soka University, Tokyo, Japan, Biomolecular Frontiers Research Centre, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia, Database Center for Life Science, Research Organization of Information and Systems, Chiba, Japan, Institute of Veterinary Physiology and Biochemistry, Justus-Liebig-University Giessen, Giessen, Germany, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Niigata University, Niigata, Japan, N.D. Zelinsky Institute of Organic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia and Laboratory of Glyco-organic Chemistry, The Noguchi Institute, Tokyo, Japan.
Issaku
I
Yamada
Complex Carbohydrate Research Center, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA, Research Center for Medical Glycoscience, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, Tsukuba, Japan, Faculty of Engineering, Soka University, Tokyo, Japan, Biomolecular Frontiers Research Centre, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia, Database Center for Life Science, Research Organization of Information and Systems, Chiba, Japan, Institute of Veterinary Physiology and Biochemistry, Justus-Liebig-University Giessen, Giessen, Germany, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Niigata University, Niigata, Japan, N.D. Zelinsky Institute of Organic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia and Laboratory of Glyco-organic Chemistry, The Noguchi Institute, Tokyo, Japan.
Hisashi
H
Narimatsu
D019295:Computational Biology / Q000379:methods*; D003628:Database Management Systems / Q000592:standards*; D016208:Databases, Factual / Q000592:standards*; D004282:Documentation; D063990:Gene Ontology; D054794:Glycomics / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D016247:Information Storage and Retrieval / Q000379:methods*; D011134:Polysaccharides / Q000737:chemistry*; D012984:Software
D011134:Polysaccharides