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Abstract

Standardization of experimental protocols and procedures is essential for reproducibility and comparability of results from different laboratories. Therefore, both the definition of guidelines for annotation and documentation of the experimental data and their storage in an appropriate database is of great importance. In the german systems biology network HepatoSys (http://www.hepatosys.de/en) several groups generate a lot of data in the context of quantitative immunoblot experiments. To allow for in-depth documentation of such non high throughput data, at first the standardization of the data produced by the various HepatoSys groups was necessary. Subsequently a relational database concept has been developed that also integrates essential parts of the recommendations of the gel electrophoresis part of the minimal information about a proteomics experiment (MIAPE-GE)1). The concept denoted as ‘Required Information About a Western blot Experiment’ (RIAWE) represents the design of a relational database for storage and querying of immunoblot data, the bio-material used and the standard operating procedures (SOPs) applied. It defines necessary as well as optional information to be provided by an experimenter who performs an immunoblot experiment and also defines the appropriate formats for data storage. Currently, a database realizing the RIAWE concept is being set-up which is expected to be interesting also for groups outside of HepatoSys. Probably, this database will also support an easier data provision to public repositories for immunoblot data as soon as they are available. 1) Gibson, F. et al. Guidelines for reporting the use of gel electrophoresis in proteomics. Nat Biotechnol. 26(8), 863-864 (2008).