We have just updated the Ensembl genome browser and underlying databases to version 62.  We would like to share some new features with our user community.

The new Ensembl release hosts a new species- the white-cheeked gibbon (Nomascus leucogenys).  A new genebuild has been performed using the Ensembl gene annotation pipeline, incorporating both gibbon and human sequences to determine the gibbon gene set.   Compara has also incorporated the gibbon genes and genome into comparative genomics analyses, as is usual for new genebuilds.  Gibbon can now be found in gene trees, a pairwise whole genome alignment with human , and a 35-way multi-species alignment.  View these alignments in views like this one.

BigWig files are now supported through attachment of a url to Ensembl.  Click on ‘Manage your data’ at the left of a location page, and select ‘Attach Remote File’ from the new menu.

Not sure what Ensembl has to offer, or how to use our resources?  Now whenever you search for a term, hits to Help and Documentation will come up.  These may be to page-specific help, FAQs or the glossary, depending on the term.  As always, we hope our users make requests- if you can’t find what you’re looking for, let our helpdesk know.

Finally, SIFT and PolyPhen predictions are available in human variation pages, and in the popular Variant Effect Predictor (for human).  A more detailed post on these variation analyses will be coming soon, so keep your eye on the blog.

More features like the new comparative genomics navigation menu have been released, so explore and let us know what you think.  More news is available on our website.