FungiExp: A Comprehensive Platform For Exploring Fungal Gene Expression and Alternative Splicing Based On 35,821 RNA-Seq Experiments From 220 Fungi

Abstract Background: RNA-seq has become a standard tool in biology and has produced large and diverse transcriptomic datasets for users to explore fungal expression regulation. Fungal alternative splicing, which is attracting increasing attention because of evolutionary adaptations to changing external conditions has not been thoroughly investigated in previous studies, unlike that of animals and plants. However, the analyses of RNA-seq datasets are made difficult by the heterogeneity of study design and complex bioinformatics approaches. Comprehensive analyses of these published datasets should contribute new insights into fungal expression regulation.Results: We have developed a web-based platform called FungiExp hosting fungal gene expression levels and alternative splicing profiles in 35,821 curated RNA-seq experiments from 220 species. It allows users to perform retrieval via diverse terms and sequence similarity. Moreover, users can customize experimental groups to perform differential and specific expression analyses. The wide range of data visualization is an additional important feature that should help users intuitively understand retrieval and analysis results.Conclusions: With its uniform data processing, easy data accessibility, convenient retrieval, and analysis functions, FungiExp is a valuable resource and tool that allows users to (re)use published RNA-seq datasets. It is accessible at http://bioinfo.njau.edu.cn/fungiExp.