HORDE: Comprehensive Resource for Olfactory Receptor Genomics
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Olfactory receptors (ORs) constitute the largest gene family in the mammalian genome. The existence of these proteins underlies
the nature of, and variability in, odorant perception. The Human Olfactory Receptor Data Explorer (HORDE, http://genome.weizmann.ac.il/horde/
) is a free online resource, which presents a complete compendium of all OR genes and pseudogenes in the genome of human and
four other vertebrates. HORDE includes three parts: (1) an automated pipeline, which mines OR gene and pseudogene sequences
out of complete genomes, and generates gene symbols based on sequence similarity; (2) a card generator that obtains and displays
annotative information on individual ORs retrieved from external databases and relevant studies; and (3) a search engine that
allows user retrieval of OR information. For human ORs, HORDE specifically addresses the universe of interindividual variation,
as obtained from several sources, including whole genome sequences made possible by next-generation sequencing. This encompasses
single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) and copy number variation (CNV), including deleterious mutational events. HORDE also
hosts a number of tools designed specifically to assist in the study of OR evolution and function. In this chapter, we describe
the status of HORDE (build #43). We also discuss plans for future enhancements and a road map for HORDE to become a better
community-based bioinformatics tool. We highlight HORDE’s role as a major research tool in the study of an expanding cohort
of OR repertoires.