The BGMUT Database documents allelic

Allele

An allele is one of two or more forms of a gene or a genetic locus . "Allel" is an abbreviation of allelomorph. Sometimes, different alleles can result in different observable phenotypic traits, such as different pigmentation...

 variations in the genes encoding for human blood group systems

Human blood group systems

The International Society of Blood Transfusion currently recognises 30 major blood group systems . Thus, in addition to the ABO antigens and Rhesus antigens, many other antigens are expressed on the red blood cell surface membrane...

. It was set up in 1999 through an initiative of the Human Genome Variation Society (HGVS). Since 2006, it has been a part of the dbRBC (database Red Blood Cells) resource of NCBI

National Center for Biotechnology Information

The National Center for Biotechnology Information is part of the United States National Library of Medicine , a branch of the National Institutes of Health. The NCBI is located in Bethesda, Maryland and was founded in 1988 through legislation sponsored by Senator Claude Pepper...

 at the NIH

National Institutes of Health

The National Institutes of Health are an agency of the United States Department of Health and Human Services and are the primary agency of the United States government responsible for biomedical and health-related research. Its science and engineering counterpart is the National Science Foundation...

. In addition to being a repository of the genetic variations of the blood group antigen-encoding genes, the database also provides information on the blood group systems, the genes that encode them, the serological

Serology

Serology is the scientific study of blood serum and other bodily fluids. In practice, the term usually refers to the diagnostic identification of antibodies in the serum...

 phenotype

Phenotype

A phenotype is an organism's observable characteristics or traits: such as its morphology, development, biochemical or physiological properties, behavior, and products of behavior...

s associated with the alleles of the genes, etc. Information on genetic variations in some non-human orthologous genes is also provided.