Table 1.

Overview of query syntax

Search criteria	Example
Single term	aquaporin
Phrase	“water channel”
Restrict by attribute field	gene_title: aquaporin
Both terms must exist	transcription and factor
At least one of the terms must exist	transcription or factor
First term must exist but second must not	transcription not factor
Specify a required term	+transcription factor
Prohibit a term	transcription -factor
Single character wildcard	prot?in
Multiple character wildcard	HSP*
Inclusive range	degree:[1 to 3]
Exclusive search	degree:{1 to 3}
Control Boolean logic	(intrinsic or integral) and membrane
Group terms to a single field	gene_title:(+60S +“ribosomal protein”)
Escape special characters	\(1\+1\)\:2

Notes: Query elements are case insensitive; wildcard symbols cannot be used as the first character of a search; the NOT operator requires greater than one term; OR is the default operator for joining search terms.