New England Biolabs Introduces Polbase, an Information Repository of Scientific Data for Polymerase Researchers

IPSWICH, Mass., Nov. 10, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- New England Biolabs (NEB), in its continuing commitment to open access science, announces Polbase, a new, free and open database covering DNA polymerase biochemistry, genetics and structural biology. Inspired by REBASE (the Restriction Enzyme Database, also developed and maintained by NEB), Polbase summarizes the information that exists in the extensive body of polymerase literature, making it easy for researchers to interrogate and use. Polbase can be accessed at http://polbase.neb.com.

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Polymerases are responsible for the faithful replication of DNA and maintenance of genomic integrity via repair and recombination. In addition to their biological roles, polymerases with specialized features form the core of many biological techniques, including PCR, and DNA sequencing (Sanger and next generation). This family of enzymes is also finding increased utility in areas of more applied research, such as forensics and diagnostics. Despite their central biological function and growing importance to biotechnology, no single repository of polymerase information existed prior to Polbase.

"Polbase has been designed as a collaborative effort, with contributions from many experts in the various fields of polymerase research," states Dr. Bradley Langhorst, Postdoctoral Fellow at NEB. "We hope that the breadth of information that Polbase provides will enhance research and discovery for polymerase novices and experts alike."

Polbase was funded by a SBIR grant from the NIH (R44GM087021) and builds upon a number of public resources, including PubMed and the Protein Data Bank (PDB), without attempting to duplicate them. Polbase extends current resources with polymerase-centric features that are unavailable elsewhere and presents information in many new and dynamic ways.

About New England Biolabs

Established in the mid 1970's, New England Biolabs, Inc. is the industry leader in the discovery and production of enzymes for molecular biology applications and now offers the largest selection of recombinant and native enzymes for genomic research. NEB continues to expand its product offerings into areas related to PCR, gene expression, sample preparation for next generation sequencing, cellular analysis, epigenetics and RNA analysis. Additionally, NEB is focused on strengthening alliances that enable new technologies to reach key market sectors. New England Biolabs is a privately held company, headquartered in Ipswich, MA and has extensive worldwide distribution through a network of exclusive distributors, agents and six subsidiaries located in Canada, China, France, Germany, Japan and the UK. For more information about New England Biolabs visit www.neb.com.

SOURCE New England Biolabs

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