A review on available proteomic databases, annotation techniques and data projects important in male reproductive physiology research

Recent breakthroughs in the field of medicine and physiology have come through the application of bioinformatics and computational biology in experimental designs and in silico analyses. Genomics and proteomics-based strategies are currently used for data presentation, sequence analysis and alignment, primer designs, mapping and annotation of the entire human genome. This advancement has made it possible to identify the roles of specific genes and proteins, understand their physiological functions, as well as pathophysiology during mutation, malformation and diseased conditions. This review describes the available proteomic databases; essential proteins used as markers of fertility in male, annotation techniques and data projects on male reproductive physiology. The materials used in this descriptive review were searched using PubMed and Google scholar databases. The following terms and phrases were reviewed: 'genomics', 'proteomics', 'Interrelationship between bioinformatics and Life sciences', 'bioinformatics tools for analyzing male reproductive system', 'Male reproductive system functions', 'infertility', and 'Application of bioinformatics in male reproductive physiology research'. Analyses in proteomics and genomics have further expanded the understanding of male reproductive physiology research through different bioinformatics tools and databases. A better understanding of the mechanisms behind spermatogenesis, testicular gene expression, protein involvement in male reproduction, the discovery of cancer genes in reproductive organs, and possible markers to identify infertility in males have evolved. There is, therefore, a need for further application of bioinformatics in the study of male reproductive system with the introduction of more databases, better identification of cancer genes in male reproductive organs and male infertility's possible biomarkers.