PicSNP is a browseable catalog of nonsynonymous single-nucleotide polymorphisms (nsSNPs - that is, base changes that alter the amino-acid sequence) in the human genome. Out of 1,190,295 SNPs extracted from public databases, 3,793 nsSNPs have been identified among 2,162 genes, and 2,826 nsSNPs (distributed among 1,506 genes) could be connected to 1,247 Gene Ontology categories of function, biological process or cellular components. Of the sites and domains annotated in the SwissProt database, 495 were found to include nsSNPs, including two nsSNPs in disulfide-binding sites and 38 in transmembrane regions. This website would, for example, be useful for searches for SNPs involved in common diseases.

The nsSNPs are classified according to the functions of the affected genes and are searchable under the guidance of the Gene Ontology hierarchical listsof protein functions. Amino-acid changes in known functional domains and sites in proteins are highlighted within individual nsSNP records by showing affected amino-acids in red. Also, changes to the nucleotide sequence are easily viewable. Hierarchical lists of functions, together with associated nsSNPs, are implemented in a set of HTML pages that can be explored dynamically with the usual web browsers.