DOG-SPOT database for comprehensive management of dog genetic research data

A typical genetics research laboratory is burdened by an information management challenge: to accurately store and make sense of a wide array of data of very different types [1]. A lab working with companion animals such as dogs, cats or horses needs to manage not only oligonucleotides, PCR products, markers, genes and DNA samples, but also data particular to companion animal work: owner information, pedigree relationships, registration numbers and breed names [2]. While it may be possible to track these disparate data independently, a database framework that coherently relates them and enforces lab-wide data input rules would allow for both higher overall productivity and fewer data entry errors [3]. Furthermore, such a data model would mean a single instance of the data can be easily located, backed up and computed upon.We have developed a relational database "DOG-SPOT" (Dogs, Owners, Genotypes, Samples, Pedigrees, Oligos and Traits) implemented in Microsoft Access to provide information management for dog genetics research (additional file 1). Within a single database a laboratory can manage all of their data relating to: dogs, their breeds, phenotypes, pedigrees and kennel clubs; owners and communications with them; laboratory personnel and their activities; samples and biomaterials. Furthermore, data relating to genetics experiments can be captured, including: gene lists, oligonucleotides, amplicons and capillary sequence trace quality, in addition to genotypes for SNP, microsatellite and indel markers. See Table 1 for a list of the key database tables and fields and additional file 2 for the entity relationship diagram. Users can easily extend and customize DOG-SPOT by writing new forms, queries, macros, tables and relationships. Data quality is partially maintained by enforcing some rules about data types. For example, a dog record is required to have a non-null breed entry and the breed must be an entry in the breed table. As a second example, a dog's sire m