Overview
MIBiG records experimentally characterized biosynthetic gene clusters and their associated products using a shared data standard. Researchers can inspect reference evidence when relating MS annotations to biosynthetic hypotheses. It is a biosynthesis knowledgebase, not an MS/MS spectral library or a standalone annotation engine.
What can this tool do?
Common uses
- Check reference evidence for known natural-product biosynthesis.
- Supply versioned BGC/product context for metabologenomics analysis.
Scientific fit
Primary function
Reference data and database search
Data compatibility
Inputs
Compound list or annotations, Molecular structures
Outputs
Molecular structures, Human-readable report
Input formats
Biosynthetic cluster identifiers or product searches
Output formats
JSON, Reference records linking genomic regions, products and supporting evidence
Scope and considerations
Designed for
- Reference lookup for experimentally characterized biosynthetic gene clusters.
Not designed for
- Direct identification of an unknown MS/MS spectrum or exhaustive coverage of all biosynthetic diversity.
Important requirements
- A relevant cluster, organism or product query; compatible dataset version for downstream software.
Considerations
- Inspect record-level experimental evidence and completeness before interpreting a match.
- Similarity to a known cluster does not prove production of the same compound in a new sample.
Access and documentation
Public browser access and downloadable reference data. The archived MIBiG 4.0 JSON dataset is CC-BY-4.0; preserve attribution and record the actual release used. This is a data license, not a claim about every linked resource or software component.
License: CC-BY-4.0
Evidence and review
Official documentation, repository or archived release metadata and direct resource publications reviewed on 2026-09-12. Included for MS-based natural-product research. No installation, biological validation or independent benchmarking performed.
Core publications
Resource papers, direct updates and tool-specific methods. Selection policy.
- Zdouc MM, et al. MIBiG 4.0: advancing biosynthetic gene cluster curation through global collaboration. Nucleic Acids Research 53, D678-D690 (2025). doi:10.1093/nar/gkae1115
Related tools
Entry history
Changes to this catalogue entry, not the tool's software release history. Acceptance and editorial review are separate.
- 2026-09-12 · First committed entry
Add NPLinker and MIBiG with metabologenomics guidance
View change · Entry at this revision