WormBase Search Syntax Guide

Basic Search

daf-2               # Single term search
"insulin receptor"  # Exact phrase search

Field Filters

[class:gene]       # Limit to genes
[species:elegans]  # Limit to C. elegans

What Works

• Single terms (daf-2)
• Partial terms with wildcard (daf-*)
• Quoted phrases ("insulin receptor")
• Field filters in square brackets

What Doesn't Work

• Boolean AND/OR operators (these are treated as regular words)
• Exclusions with minus (-)
• Complex query syntax

Important Notes

1. Words like "AND" or "OR" are treated as regular search terms
2. All searches are converted to lowercase
3. Use quotes for phrases that might contain "AND" or "OR"
4. Use field filters instead of boolean operators
5. Gene names must include hyphens (daf-2, not daf2)

Examples

daf-2                    # Search for gene
"DNA and RNA"            # Phrase search (AND treated as word)
[class:gene] unc-*       # All unc genes
"transcription factor"   # Phrase search