THE DATA BASE WILL PROVIDE A NECESSARY TOOL FOR RESEARCH AND FOR INDUSTRIAL BIOTECHNOLOGY. THERE WILL BE DIRECT ECONOMIC BENEFITS FROM A MORE RAPID AND EFFICIENT DATA COLLECTION AND INDIRECT LONG TERM BENEFITS.
To improve the infrastructure of European research in biotechnology and biosciences, a protein sequence databank was founded. This databank is a part of the Max-Planck-Institute for Biochemistry at Martinsried (MIPS). During the contractual period, efforts were concentrated on setting up data input procedures and annotation standards.

MIPS processes 3500 protein sequence entries annually and contributes approximately 40% of the data currently collected by the International Association of Protein Sequence Data Banks. The terminology of data entries was standardized and a consistent reference file for correct taxonomic assignment of sequences was developed.
An internal database management system was developed to guarantee the high quality of data entry. The time required to process entries was reduced thus in time eliminating the existing backlog. An online system for direct access to sequence data and sequence data analysis programmes was set up. During an experimental period, access to the system is free of charge.
THE PROTEIN SEQUENCE DATA BANK WILL COOPORATE WITH OTHER INTERNATIONAL DATA BANKS IN BIOLOGY TO COVER THE URGENT NEED FOR FAST AND DIRECT ACCESS TO COMPLETE AND UP-TO-DATE SEQUENCE DATA. THE DATA COLLECTION WILL LEAD TO A COMMON INTERNATIONAL DATA SET OF PROTEIN SEQUENCES DISTRIBUTED WORLD-WIDE. SEQUENSE DATA WILL BE ANNOTED ACCORDING TO SCIENTIFIC STANDARDS TO PROVIDE USEFULL INFORMATION RELATED TO THE PROTEIN SEQUENCE ITSELF.
THE PROTEIN SEQUENCE DATA BANK WILL BE ACTIVE IN STANDARDIZATION OF NOMENCLATURE, DATA EXCHANGE, THE DEVELOPMENT OF ADVANCED STRUCTURES OF DATA ORGANISATION AND THE IMPLEMENTATION OF NEW ALGORITHMS FOR SEQUENCE DATA ANALYSIS.