Controlled vocabulary for /db_xref qualifier

A new qualifier was introduced in version 1.08 (December 1, 1995) of the Feature table definitions: /db_xref. This new qualifier serves as a vehicle for the linking of DNA sequence records to other external databases.

The text below outlines the format and the present list of allowed database cross references. Inquiries about the addition of other database types should be made to one of the collaborating databases, listed above.

Qualifier:       /db_xref="database:identifier"

Definition:      database cross-reference: pointer to related information in
		 another database	                  
Scope:           all feature keys
Value format:    "database:identifier" where database is the name of the
		 database containing related information, and 
		 identifier is the internal identifier of the related 
		 information according to the naming conventions of the
		 cross-referenced database.

Examples:        
cross reference to GDB identifier:            /db_xref="GDB:39999"   
cross reference to Swiss-Prot entry:          /db_xref="Swiss-Prot:P12345" 

For all databases types 'Case' is important. All databases member of the International Collaboration (DDBJ, EMBL/EBI and GenBank/NCBI) may make recommendations for additions or removal of databases to this list at their convenience, and need not rely on the release cycle of the Feature Table documentation.

Database: Description of database, and type with example(s).

Presently the list includes:

Revised October 19, 2007