Exciting Updates in SorghumBase 7.0: Empowering Sorghum Genomics Research

We’re thrilled to announce the latest release of SorghumBase, version 7.0, packed with exciting features and invaluable data to fuel sorghum genomics research worldwide. As a USDA-ARS funded resource, SorghumBase has been a cornerstone for the sorghum research community since its public release in 2021. With each iteration, we strive to enhance user experience, expand data offerings, and foster collaboration within the community.

What’s New in SorghumBase 7.0?

• • Enhanced Search Functionality: Our search interface has been upgraded to provide more intuitive and comprehensive results. 
    • Quick Access to EMS Mutants and Germplasm Bearing Deleterious Alleles. A new Germplasm tab offers quick access to accessions bearing putative loss-of-function SNPs and EMS mutations.

• Readily Accessible Sequences: Say hello to the new Sequences tab! This feature provides swift access to gene, transcript, and protein sequences for gene models, streamlining genomic analysis workflows.

• • New eFB Expression Browser. The Expression tab now boasts electronic Fluorescent Pictograph (eFP) browsers for sorghum, maize, and Arabidopsis, offering a visual representation of gene expression patterns. 
  • Contribute your functional expertise for a favorite gene. The Papers tab has been enriched with a user entry form, inviting researchers to contribute gene function suggestions based on experimental evidence.

• Genetic & Phenotypic Variation: The Sorghum BTx623 (NCBIv3) dataset has been updated with 41 million SNPs, complete with standard rsIDs provided by the European Variation Archive. Furthermore, the visualization of Genome-Wide Association Study (GWAS) from a meta-analysis of 234 phenotypic trait datasets on 406 accessions of the Sorghum Association Panel (SAP) offers valuable insights into sorghum genetics.
• Expanded Gene Regulation Insights: Non-coding features such as lnc_RNA, ncRNA, and pre_miRNA are now available as tracks on all sorghum browsers, providing researchers with a deeper understanding of gene regulation mechanisms.
• New Publications and Research Highlights: Our publications database has been enriched with 214 new sorghum papers with 30 of them featured in research highlights. Two of such publications were co-authored by members of the SorghumBase team, and cover groundbreaking methods such as a high-performance computational workflow for SNP detection (Zhou et al, 2024) and genetic resources like a sequenced EMS mutant library (Jiao et al, 2023).
• Funded projects for Sorghum research: 289 have been added to the site and integrated into the site-wide search. A Projects page shows a map of institutions, and a searchable and sortable table of awards. Each project has its own page with basic information from the funding agency, but we intend to work with PIs to enrich their project pages to include links to publications, blog entries, project web pages, etc.

Empowering Sorghum Research Community: SorghumBase isn’t just about data—it’s about community engagement and collaboration. Our platform offers weekly updates on news items, conferences, and community events relevant to sorghum research. With 953 sorghum papers now indexed and searchable, researchers have a wealth of knowledge at their fingertips. We encourage feedback and contributions from the community to continue improving SorghumBase as a vital resource for sorghum genomics research.

Get Involved: Whether you’re a seasoned researcher or just diving into the world of sorghum genomics, SorghumBase welcomes you. Explore the latest release at SorghumBase and stay tuned for upcoming webinars, conferences, and training events. Have ideas for collaboration or feedback to share? Reach out to us—we’d love to hear from you!

With gratitude for the ongoing support from the Agricultural Research Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA ARS 8062-21000-051-00D), SorghumBase continues to pave the way for advancements in sorghum genomics research.

Let’s journey together towards a brighter, more sustainable future through the power of sorghum genomics!

The SorghumBase Team