GENE-SERVER _A_d_d_r_e_s_s: Dr. Dan Davison BCHS-5500 Dept. of Biochemical and Biophysical Sciences University of Houston 4800 Calhoun, Houston, Tx, 77204-5500 _E_m_a_i_l: davison@uh.edu (Internet), DAVISON@UHOU (Bitnet) _P_h_o_n_e: (713) 743-8366 (Dr. Davison) _D_e_s_c_r_i_p_t_i_o_n The Gene-Server is a mail response facility that will return a specific GenBank (tm) entry requested via e-mail. Other Services: The server now distributes Protein Information Resource (PIR, also known as NBRF) protein sequence database entries. The VMS and ASCII versions of PIR are available for anonymous FTP as well as via Gopher. Molecular biology software for Apple Macintosh, DOS, Unix and VAX-VMS computers is also available from the server. A number of information files (the R. Roberts Restriction Enzyme database; sequence analysis reference, and such) are distributed. The Matrix of Biological Knowledge Archive-Server files are now available only from this address. _N_e_t_w_o_r_k _A_c_c_e_s_s The server can be accessed via e-mail on the Internet, BIT- NET, and UUCP networks. The addresses to use are: _________________________ The information in this section is provided in accor- dance with the copyright notice appearing at the front of this guide. August 13, 1992 NNSC Section 3.1, Page 1 gene-server@bchs.uh.edu (Internet) bchs.uh.edu!genbank-server (Usenet) gene-server%bchs.uh.edu@CUNYVM (BITNET) Please be aware that a mail response program is not "smart" and can only respond to a limited set of commands. GenBank entries are available by name and accession number only. Your request can consist of one of the following: HELP SEND HELP SEND GB-LOCUS genbanklocusname SEND INDEX indexname SEND ACCESSION accession_number SEND ACCESSION accessionumber(s) SEND KEYWORD genbankkeyword SEND PIR-KEYWORD pirkeyword SEND PIR-ACCESSION piraccessionnumber(s) There are many other parameters for specific subsets of the Gene-Server, please see the individual HELP files. "HELP" will result in a small help file being sent back; everyone should request the help message. The file will contain up-to-date information about the server, access, release numbers, and policies. The help message also includes all index names, so "SEND INDEX" no longer works. "SEND INDEX index_name" (where "index_name" is one of the index files listed in the HELP message) will work. "SEND LOCUS genbank_locus_name" will return via e-mail the requested locus if it exists, and an error message if it does not. Use the index file in the HELP message to find the name of the entry, or use the accession number. Note that large GenBank entries (Lambda, EBV, tobacco and liverwort chloroplasts) may not make it through the thread of mailers. UUCP mailers, in particular, silently enforce a limit of 64,000 characters in a single mail message. Note also that Usenet mail is very unreliable; you should con- sult the "pathalias" database to construct a mail path from your machine to bchs.uh.edu. A local Unix mail wizard may be able to help. The Gene-Server itself silently enforces a limit of one megabyte on a reply. Please do not ask for a lot of software or data in a single message. August 13, 1992 NNSC Section 3.1, Page 2 IMPORTANT NOTE: "gene-server@bchs.uh.edu" is an MX record. If you have problems reaching that address, ask your local system mail expert how to handle addresses that are "MX records." As a "very" last resort, send email to one of the addresses given above. _W_h_o _C_a_n _U_s_e _t_h_e _G_e_n_e-_S_e_r_v_e_r Anyone can use the catalog. _M_i_s_c_e_l_l_a_n_e_o_u_s The current version of GenBank on the server is Release 64. The server is updated as often as possible given funding (none) and disk space constraints. The server may be updated daily in the future. Information and software is exchanged regularly with the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) File Server, and the molbio ftp sites, "ftp.bchs.uh.edu" and "nic.funet.fi"; but the specific files, syntax, and informa- tion vary between the four servers. The server contains a simple response to someone asking for too many loci or otherwise abusing the service: it stops working for them. Questions can be sent to davison@uh.edu (Internet) or DAVISON@UHOU(BITNET). Requests to talk to a human rather than a mail response program should be sent to archive- management@bchs.uh.edu. By popular demand, archive- managment@bchs.uh.edu also works. This service is provided by the Institute for Molecular Biology, the Department of Biochemical and Biophysical Sci- ences, and is funded by the National Science Foundation. The server is not funded or related in any with the DHHS, PHS, National Institutes of Health, or its contractors or subcontractors on the GenBank contract. GenBank is a trade- mark of the US Department of Health and Human Services, US Public Health Service. August 13, 1992 NNSC Section 3.1, Page 3