aCHEdb:: the database system for ESTHER, the α/β fold family of proteins and the Cholinesterase gene server

Acetylcholinesterase belongs to a family of proteins, the alpha/beta hydrolase fold family, whose constituents evolutionarily diverged from a common ancestor and share a similar structure of a central beta sheet surrounded by ex helices, These proteins fulfil a wide range of physiological functions (hydrolases, adhesion molecules, hormone precursors) [Krejci,E., Duval,N., Chatonnet,A., Vincens,P. and Massoulie,J. (1991) Proc. Nafl, Acad. Sci, USA, 88, 6647-6651]. ESTHER (for esterases, alpha/beta hydrolase enzymes and relatives) is a database aimed at collecting in one information system, sequence data together with biological annotations and experimental biochemical results related to the structure-function analysis of the enzymes of the family, The major upgrade of the database comes from the use of a new database management system: aCHEdb which uses the ACeDB progam designed by Richard Durbin and Jean Thierry-Mieg, It can be found at http://www.ensam.inra.fr/cholinesterase.