Plasmo DB, the malaria genome database, is a repository for proteomic and genomic data of several species of the malaria parasite. The database has existed for some time (around 10 years) but its latest and updated version includes new information and tools.

The data now includes genomic and functional information on eight specie of Plasmodium, including P. falciparum, P. vivax, P. yoelii, P. berghei, P. chabaudi, and P. knowlesi. The data on these species consist of microarray information, gene knock-out mutants of P. falciparum and of P. berghei, and gene expression and protein transcription on the multiple stages of P. yoelii, to mention a few. Also found in Plasmo DB is the EST information, collected from over 130 libraries.

Besides the raw information that is available and the possibility of retrieving information by searching for an exact gene name, ID or product, the repository allows users to perform queries such as “Find sequence similarity using BLAST”, or “Identify gene expressed at specific life-cycle stages”, or “Identify genes with specific protein attributes”.

Plasmo DB is an essential tool to anyone adopting a cellular or molecular approach to studying or understanding malaria. The database is free and open to anyone and can be found at http://plasmodb.org/plasmo/