From hillca at purdue.edu  Wed Apr 30 16:58:33 2008
From: hillca at purdue.edu (Hill, Catherine A)
Date: Wed Apr 30 16:56:09 2008
Subject: [Ixodes] Ixodes Preliminary Gene Sets
Message-ID: <7B822100FD93C646B5D905DC842F6594C4446F@EXCH05.purdue.lcl>

We are pleased to announce the release of two preliminary sets of gene
models for the Ixodes scapularis genome, provided by the J. Craig Venter
Institute and VectorBase.  The predicted peptides and transcripts for
these '0.5' gene models are available for download and BLAST searching
at VectorBase (http://iscapularis.vectorbase.org/index.php). Please note
that these sets will be replaced by a final gene set in a few months and
that they will not be archived.

VectorBase encourages community scientists to contribute to the Ixodes
annotation effort through submission of their own gene models.
Community-generated gene models will be displayed as a separate manual
annotation track in an Ixodes genome browser.  This browser, and a
community annotation pipeline for submission of gene models, are
currently in development and will be made available through VectorBase.
In the interim, community scientists wishing to submit manual
annotations may do so by contacting the Ixodes VectorBase Community
Representative, Jason Meyer, at meyerjm@purdue.edu.  Gene models
submitted on or before May 30 may be considered for incorporation into
the final Ixodes gene set.

Further information regarding the Ixodes genome browser and community
annotation pipeline will be forthcoming in a subsequent email.

The WGS assembly scaffolds (supercontigs) are now deposited in GenBank,
as well as the previously deposited contigs.  VectorBase has therefore
replaced the previous internal identifiers for supercontigs with those
assigned by GenBank (accessions DS611849-DS981340).  A look-up file will
be made available shortly.

The sequencing, assembly and annotation of the Ixodes scapularis genome
is a joint effort by VectorBase, the Broad Institute and the J. Craig
Venter Institute (JCVI), funded by NIAID.