[sci.bio] LiMB - Molecular Biology Database

dtinker@gpu.utcs.toronto.edu (Prof. David Tinker) (03/27/88)

                      LiMB - Molecular Biology Database
                      =================================

     LiMB,  (The  Listing of Molecular Biology Databases),   is  an  extensive 
catalogue  of data repositories in the field of Molecular Biology and  related 
biochemical areas.  LiMB is an undertaking of the Human Genome Project, and is 
compiled  and  maintained  by Christian Burks and John Lawton  of  Los  Alamos 
National  Laboratory.  This database contains exhaustive information on world-
wide data resources,  their contents,  access to them, etc. - the full listing 
of  LiMB covers 53 database resources and runs to 69  pages  (128Kbyte).   The 
database is in the Public Domain,  and would be useful to researchers  wishing 
to identify and access these resources.
     I have obtained this resource in electronic form,  and will distribute it 
to  interested parties in various forms (see below).

     LiMB is available in the following electronic formats:
   (a)  The  ASCII files just as I received them - complete database  in  four 
pieces plus covering letter (if you need this format,  better bring a disk  to 
my office).
   (b)  An MS-DOS archive,  prepared using PKARC3.5 of the preceding  material 
(about 60Kbyte).
   (c) A compressed UNIX shar archive (about 50Kbyte),  which is the preferred 
form.
   (d) Photocopied hard copy:  there will be a small charge for this,  payable 
to the Department of Biochemistry.
     As well as the raw material,  I have prepared an extract of the database, 
(LIMBXTR) which contains for each LiMB entry the following:
    %ENT:    Entry Code
    %NUM:    LiMB Number of Database
    %NAM:    Database Name
    %ALT:    Alternate Name(s) separated by semicolon (up to 4)
    %KEY:    Keywords (up to 11)
    %ACC:    Access to Data
    %ITM:    Number of Items in Database
    ///
LIMBXTR is available from me in several formats:
   (i)  A flat file,  LIMBXTR.DAT (about 11K) together with two short  utility 
programs in C for accessing line items.
   (ii)  A  Dbase III (tm) file,  LIMBXTR.DBF (about 20K) containing the  same 
data in structured form, together with a dictionary of all the keywords.
   (iii)  On  request,  the structured LIMBXTR database can be provided  in  a 
number of other formats,  including Lotus-123 (tm) worksheet,  PC-FileIII (tm) 
or Data Interchange Format (DIF).

     Please  request  copies from me by E-mail (not postings),  or by  regular 
mail/voice,  specifying the version preferred;  E-mailed files will be sent as 
uuencoded binaries (ARC or compressed Shar).   If there is sufficient response 
(say, more than 10) I will post LiMB in usenet!Sci.bio.
     Finally,  I  will  be  receiving regular updates to LiMB  and  will  make 
additions, etc. available in the same way.

-- 
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! David O. Tinker             !     ^ ^     !      UUCP: utgpu!dtinker    !
! Department of Biochemistry  !   < O O >   !    BITNET: dtinker@utoronto !
! University of Toronto       !      ^      !       BIX: dtinker          !
! TORONTO, Ontario, Canada    !    #####    !     Voice: (416) 978-3636   !
! M5S 1A8                     !             ! And so on.                  !
!                             !    Hi ho    !                             !
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