FishNET: An automated relational database for zebrafish colony management

by Abiud Cantu Gutierrez, Manuel Cantu Gutierrez, Alexander M. Rhyner, Oscar E. Ruiz, George T. Eisenhoffer, Joshua D. Wythe The zebrafishDanio rerio is a powerful model system to study the genetics of development and disease. However, maintenance of zebrafish husbandry records is both time intensive and laborious, and a standardized way to manage and track the large amount of unique lines in a given laboratory or centralized facility has not been embraced by the field. Here, we present FishNET, an intuitive, open-source, relational database for managing data and information related to zebrafish husbandry and maintenance. By creating a “virtual facility,” FishNET enables users to remotely inspect the rooms, racks, tanks, and lines within a given facility. Importantly, FishNET scales from one laboratory to an entire facility with several laboratories to multiple facilities, generating a cohesive laboratory and community-based p latform. Automated data entry eliminates confusion regarding line nomenclature and streamlines maintenance of individual lines, while flexible query forms allow researchers to retrieve database records based on user-defined criteria. FishNET also links associated embryonic and adult biological sampl es with data, such as genotyping results or confocal images, to enable robust and efficient colony management and storage of laboratory information. A shared calendar function with email notifications and automated reminders for line turnover, automated...
Source: PLoS Biology: Archived Table of Contents - Category: Biology Authors: Source Type: research