Bioservices

---
name: bioservices
description: Unified Python interface to 40+ bioinformatics services. Use when querying multiple databases (UniProt, KEGG, ChEMBL, Reactome) in a single workflow with consistent API. Best for cross-database analysis, ID mapping across services. For quick single-database lookups use gget; for sequence/file manipulation use biopython.
license: GPLv3 license
allowed-tools: Read Write Edit Bash
compatibility: Requires Python 3.9–3.12 and internet access to 40+ bioinformatics web APIs. NCBI BLAST requires a contact email (`NCBI_EMAIL` env var or explicit parameter).
required_environment_variables: [{"name": "NCBI_EMAIL", "prompt": "Email for NCBI service identification.", "required_for": "optional features"}]
metadata: {"version": "1.2", "skill-author": "K-Dense Inc.", "openclaw": {"envVars": [{"name": "NCBI_EMAIL", "required": false, "description": "Email for NCBI service identification."}]}}
---

# BioServices

## Overview

BioServices is a Python package providing programmatic access to approximately 40 bioinformatics web services and databases. Retrieve biological data, perform cross-database queries, map identifiers, analyze sequences, and integrate multiple biological resources in Python workflows. The package handles both REST and SOAP/WSDL protocols transparently.

**Version note:** Examples target **bioservices 1.16.0** (PyPI, Mar 2026). Requires **Python 3.9–3.12**. UniProt REST changes in mid-2022 (bioservices ≥1.10) mainly affect tabular `columns` names — see upstream `_legacy_names` if parsing breaks. ChEMBL wrappers changed at 1.6.0 (2018 API); use `get_similarity`, `get_substructure`, `get_molecule` instead of pre-1.6 method names.

## When to Use This Skill

This skill should be used when:
- Retrieving protein sequences, annotations, or structures from UniProt, PDB, Pfam
- Analyzing metabolic pathways and gene functions via KEGG or Reactome
- Searching compound databases (ChEBI, ChEMBL, PubChem) for chemical information
- Converting identifiers between different biological databases (KEGG↔UniProt, compound IDs)… load the full skill through Skill Me