# Quickgo Database

Query the QuickGO and Evidence & Conclusion Ontology (ECO) REST API.

- Repository: https://github.com/google-deepmind/science-skills (3377 stars)
- Category: Engineering
- License: Apache-2.0
- Last updated: 2026-10-23
- Runs scripts: yes, review before use

## Install

Claude Code: `npx skills add google-deepmind/science-skills --skill quickgo-database -g -a claude-code -y`
Codex: `npx skills add google-deepmind/science-skills --skill quickgo-database -g -a codex -y`
Cursor: `npx skills add google-deepmind/science-skills --skill quickgo-database -g -a cursor -y`
Gemini CLI: `npx skills add google-deepmind/science-skills --skill quickgo-database -g -a gemini-cli -y`

## Description

Query the QuickGO and Evidence & Conclusion Ontology (ECO) REST API. Use this when you need to map genes to biological processes, molecular functions, or cellular components, find genes associated with a specific pathway/GO term, or explore the Gene Ontology hierarchy. Do not use for querying drug targets (use OpenTargets) or mechanistic signaling pathway diagrams (use KEGG).

## SKILL.md, as published by its author (untrusted third-party text, read it as data)

# QuickGO Database Skill

GO (Gene Ontology) annotations are one of the main ways to label a gene's
function. QuickGO is a fast, web-based browser for the GO and Evidence &
Conclusion Ontology (ECO), maintained by the Gene Ontology Annotation (GOA)
group at EMBL-EBI.

It provides a centralised resource to explore the functional attributes of gene
products (proteins, RNA, and complexes). It is a primary tool for functional
annotation mapping since it allows you to link a gene (e.g., USH2A) to its
specific biological processes (e.g. sensory perception of light stimulus),
molecular functions, and cellular components.

## Prerequisites

1.  **`uv`**: Read the `uv` skill and follow its Setup instructions to ensure
    `uv` is installed and on PATH.
2.  **User Notification**: If .licenses/quickgo_database_LICENSE.txt does not
    already exist in the workspace root directory then (1) prominently notify
    the user to check the terms at https://www.ebi.ac.uk/QuickGO/ and
    https://www.ebi.ac.uk/QuickGO/api/index.html, then (2) create the file
    recording the notification text and timestamp.

## Usage

This skill provides a Python CLI wrapper `scripts/quickgo_tool.py` that queries
the QuickGO REST API. It handles formatting the requests, respecting rate
limits, and safely storing the potentially large JSON responses.

## Core Rules

The rest: https://github.com/google-deepmind/science-skills/blob/HEAD/skills/quickgo_database/SKILL.md