Frequently Asked Questions
Below are commonly asked questions. If you can not find the answer to your question or have a suggestion please go to the contact page.

What are the different search criteria in the database?
The database search engine can support a number of different search terms but the most common ones are: Genus (Drosophila), Species (melanogaster), Accession number, snoRNA class (C/D or H/ACA), sequence, and journal.

How often is the database updated?
The snoRNP database is updated twice a year, approximately every six months.

How big is the snoRNP database?
The snoRNP database currently contains over 8,000 snoRNA sequences and hundreds of associated protein sequences.

How can I get involved in supporting the snoRNP Database?
The snoRNP database is currently seeking the help of researchers in determining the secondary structures of snoRNAs. If you have a secondary structure you would like to share please contact us at our contact page. Additionally, the snoRNP database is always interested in how users would like to see the database improved.

Why do some snoRNA sequences share the same accession number?
Many RNA sequences generally and some snoRNA sequences specifically have not been confirmed experimentally. For this reason researchers have relied on bioinformatic approaches to identify candidate snoRNAs, many of which are clustered in large segments of the DNA. For this reason on the accession number of the large DNA segment is given along with the start and stop location that was identified in the literature.

Can I submit a sequence for the database?
If you have a sequence you would like to share please fill out the contact form. Please include the following information: Genus, Species, Accession number, snoRNA class (C/D or H/ACA), snoRNA family, sequence, start location, stop location, and journal. If some of the requested information is not know please fill out as UNKNOW. Be sure to include your name so we can recognize your contribution.

Why create the snoRNP database?
Because so many snoRNA sequences are still unannotated in NCBI snoRNA researchers needed a central location for all the identified and putative snoRNAs and their associated proteins. Additionally, this database gives researchers the opportunity to contribute and make suggestions for the continued development of the database.