The affected chromosomes are simply the chromosomes in a stock known to carry an allele, insertion or aberration. Referred to as "Chr_all" in old style BDSC stock reports.

We use FlyBase gene symbols as well as some FlyBase tool symbols in our database. See below for tips on using each.

Gene symbols:

Our database uses the FlyBase gene symbol, not the gene name (ie., we use "Ser" and "per", not "Serrate" and "period"). In addition, non-D. melanogaster genes include the 4-letter species prefix used by FlyBase (D. melanogaster genes are not prefixed by "Dmel" in our database). We do not currently have the capacity to handle full gene names or gene synonyms.

When searching using gene symbols that are only one or two letters long, we strongly recommend using the Advanced Symbol search and using the "exactly matches" option to exactly match the gene symbol.

When searching genes using “exactly matches” on the Advanced Symbol search, the gene symbol must exactly match the official FlyBase symbol and Greek symbols must be spelled out. For example:
1. use "N" not "Notch" or "CG3936"
2. use “DCTN1-p150” not “p150” or “dynactin”  or “CG9206”
3. use  CG10326 (this gene has no official non-CG name)
4. use "alphaTub84B" not "αTub84B" or "α-Tubulin at 84B"
6. use “Hsap\ATXN1” not “ATXN1” or  “Ataxin1”

Similarly to using “exactly matches”, when searching genes using “contains”, “ends with” or “starts with”, the text used must match the corresponding text of the official FlyBase gene symbol. For example:
1. a search using gene “starts with” “scar” will find symbols associated with SCAR and a bunch of scaRNAs but will not find scarlet alleles or transgenes because the symbol for scarlet is “st”
2. a search using gene “contains” “notch” will find symbols associated with human Notch gene Hsap\NOTCH2NLA, but will not find fly Notch alleles or transgenes because the symbol for Notch is “N”.

We note that using "contains" or "ends with" is a good way to avoid having to use the species prefix when hunting using non-D.melanogaster genes. For instance, to search for insertions carrying human APP, search using gene "contains" "APP".

Tool symbols:

In some cases, we are now using tool symbols in place of gene symbols. Generally, we do this for one of two reasons:

1. FlyBase has obsoleted the gene in favor of a tool.  For instance, FlyBase obsoleted many foreign genes that represented regulatory sequences (e.g. Scer\UAS, Scer\FRT) and replaced them with tools (e.g., UAS, UASt, UASp, FRT).

2. It makes more sense to link to a tool than to the gene.  For instance, in stock reports for split GAL4 lines, you will now see links to the split GAL4 DNA-binding domain tool report (GAL4(DBD)::Zip-), which has a nice explanation of the split GAL4 system, rather than to the Scer\GAL4 gene report. Similarly, stock reports for stocks carrying sensors, optogenetic tools etc., now often link to the FlyBase report for the tool (e.g. Voltron, CsChrimson, GCaMP6f) rather than to the gene(s) used to make the tool.

When searching using tool symbols using “exactly matches” on the Advanced Symbol search, the tool symbol must exactly match the official FlyBase. As with using gene symbols, often the best approach is to use "contains" to put a wildcard on either end of your search term thus maximizing the chances of returning the stocks you are looking for.

You can refine your search by selecting qualifers in the dropdown to the right of the search box.

Our database does not support the use of Greek symbols. Greek symbols must be spelled out. For example:
- use "betaTub85D", not "βTub85D"
- use "Delta2-3", not "Δ2-3"

Searches are not case sensitive, ie., "Delta" and "delta" will yield the same result.

Non-D. melanogaster gene symbols in our database contain the 4-letter species prefix used by FlyBase. We suggest using gene “contains” for searching non-D. melanogaster genes to avoid having to add the species prefix.

examples:
1. use "contains" "GFP" instead of "exactly matches" "Avic\GFP"
2. use "contains" "APP" instead of "exactly matches" "Hsap\APP"

Beware that many fluors are derivatives of other fluors, for example, BFP and YFP are really variants of GFP.  FlyBase lists all insertions carrying fluor derivatives under the parental gene and we do as well.  To find GFP and RFP derivatives like BFP, mCherry or Tomato, we suggest searching the symbol name or browsing our fluor pages.

We are not currently curating non-fluorescent tags (e.g. His, Myc, FLAG etc), so you cannot use our database to search, for example, all transgenes tagged with His for a particular gene.

In some cases, this information is captured in the symbol name or is in a comment, so you can try using the Advanced Symbol search to search for a particular gene plus a text string (like His or Myc) in the symbol name or comment. If you don't get any results from your search, it doesn't necessarily mean that what you are looking for doesn't exist, only that the non-fluorescent tag isn't in the symbol or comment. We recommend using our links to FlyBase to identify the exact components present in a symbol of interest. This may also require delving into the primary publication.

First - let us say that, in most instances, you are probably going to want to search symbol comments (in the Advanced Symbol Search) versus stock comments (in the Advanced Stock Search).  Here's why . . .

Stock comments are comments that are relevant only to the stock as a whole. The vast majority of these comments contain information on segregating ("floating") alleles or balancers or the expressivity of common markers (like Cy[1] or sna[Sco]). Some stock comments do carry other kinds of information about a stock (e.g., the background, Wolbachia status or the function/use of the stock as a whole) but most descriptive information is found in symbol comments.

Symbol comments carry information about individual transgenes, alleles and aberrations found in stocks. Most often these comments are descriptions of transgenes, but they can also include information on mapping data not found in the "Map" section of a symbol or stock report, information on mutations, lethal/viable/sterile data etc. Because some symbols are present in multiple stocks, these comments, by necessity, must pertain to the symbol in isolation and not, for instance, how it might be used in the context of one particular stock. 

Be aware that we generate symbol comments at the time of donation so some information may be incomplete or out of date. On most of our pages, clicking on the symbol will take you to its respective FlyBase report where you can find the latest data curated by FlyBase.

You may search using either the donor's name or organization. 

Be aware that the organization listed is the one associated with the donor at the time of the donation and may not be where the donor is currently. 

Because first (given) names can vary dependent on the context (Sue versus Susan, Dave vs David), we recommend using "contains" and only the last or family name when possible.

Searching for something you know is there but not getting any results? See below for some troubleshooting tips.  If nothing below applies to your situation, please contact us.