BMC Genomics 2009, 10(Suppl 3):S7 http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2164/10/S3/S7 DNA was generated. Mice are taken care of by the animal facility group. This group collects the tips of the tails of mice potentially carrying new PB insertions (Inserts) in the genome. Then the iPCR group performs iPCR experiments using these tail tips to obtain amplified fragments carrying the mouse genomic fragment flank- ing the PB insertion site. These amplified fragments are sequenced subsequently. In this step, the following data are gathered: sample information, experiment status information (fail or successful), DNA electrophoresis gel photos, and the information of the DNA fragment to be sequenced. DNA sequence data The sequencing of the PB flanking genomic DNA is performed by the sequencing group. For each DNA fragment sequenced, three files are generated to describe the contents and quality of the sequence. These results are passed onto the bioinformatics group to determine the location of the Inserts on the chromosomes. Insertional mutation localization data The Insert-flanking genomic sequences are obtained from the reliable sequences and submitted to Ensembl and/or UCSC genome browser and/or NCBI for mapping those insertions onto the mouse genome. One example is shown in Figure 1. The locations of the Inserts on the genome and the genomic features of those locations are obtained. For each Insert, a 4 kb sequence with the insertion site in the middle is sent to the Genotyping (GT) group for experimental GT verification. Verification data The GT group designs GT primers using the above 4 kb sequence as template with the MacVector Software (MacVector Inc.). Suitable primers predicted by the software are submitted to UCSC genome browser to determine its uniqueness in the whole mouse genome. To ensure that there is no accidental sample switch, the animal facility group will collect a piece of the ear for GT verification. The ear tissue comes from the same mouse whose tail tissue was sent for iPCR in the beginning. If the GT verification of one insertion generates a positive result, the mapping process comes to an end for this specific Insert. If the experiment fails, new primers will be designed for a new round of GT verification. Primer information, experiment status information (fail or successful), and DNA electrophoresis gel photos are the three types of data gathered in this step. Design and implementation of the MP-PBmice system The previously published PBmice collect and disseminate the large quantities of the genetic and phenotypic information from this on-going large-scale PB insertional mutagenesis project [44]. It provides a user interface to query and display data related of the published PB insertions in the mouse genome and their characteriza- tions. However, in this published version, neither the raw data nor the experimental flow is touched. In the process of the production of large numbers of insertional mutants and the characterization of their phenotype, large amounts of raw data are produced and recorded daily. There is an urgent need of a mapping system to serve the mutant mapping procedure to ensure detailed and correct data recording and information exchange on a daily basis. We designed and developed the current MP-PBmice system to meet these needs. Database tables Experimental data gathered from every step of the project, including future updates, need to be stored in the database. We employ the relational data schema to model these data. Four kinds of tables (one example is shown in Figure 2) are designed in the MP-PBmice to ensure correct daily data recording and exchange. 1. Access-control tables. The function of accessing control in our system is realized through access-control tables including a user table, a role table, a group table, a permission table, and a user-role relation table. The user, role, and group table are used to store the information of every registered user, every defined role, and every designated group respectively. In the permission table we keep the permission status of each data table, such as which table can be read and which table can be updated by a specific role of a specific group. Each user can be allocated multiple roles to carry out corresponding tasks. The user-role relation table archives this relationship between each user and the role(s) allocated to the user. 2. Experimental stage tables. Data created from one step of the whole procedure are often stored in a single table. Data from an earlier stage can be easily accessed in a later stage through foreign keys. For example, if several versions of experimental data of one specific insertion in the same stage are created, foreign keys are able to distinguish the newest version from the old version(s). 3. Constant tables. Certain categories of data are not unique to either each mouse or each Insert generated. For example, the coat color of a mouse falls into a few types: black, white, and others. The experimenters only need to fill in the data via a simple pull-down menu to make the right choice. Constant tables are applied to store these values instead of fixing these options into codes. This designing strategy allows for easy potential updates by updating the data in corresponding constant tables rather than the need to rebuild the whole system. Page 4 of 13 (page number not for citation purposes)