Skip to main content
Glama

search_uniprot_entity

Search UniProt entries by Solr-style query string, filtering by gene, organism, annotation status, and more. Returns accession, protein name, and organism.

Instructions

Search for a UniProt entity ID by query.

⚠️ Only the search string and limit are accepted. Extra parameters like taxon, organism, reviewed, species, etc. are silently dropped and have no effect — express such filters inside the Solr query string instead (e.g., organism_id:9606 AND reviewed:true).

The search string can be passed as any of: query (canonical), search, term, keyword, keywords, search_term, or name.

RETURNS a TSV string with columns: accession, protein_name, organism_name. On upstream/HTTP failure this tool does NOT raise — it returns a plain string beginning with "Error:" (not TSV). CHECK FOR the "Error:" prefix BEFORE parsing rows.

Input Schema

TableJSON Schema
NameRequiredDescriptionDefault
nameNo
termNo
limitNoThe maximum number of results to return. Default is 20.
queryNoThe Solr-style query string for the UniProtKB /search endpoint. QUERY SYNTAX: - Simple keyword: "rubisco" - Field-specific: "field:value" (e.g., "gene:BRCA1", "protein_name:rubisco") - Boolean operators: AND, OR, NOT (e.g., "gene:TP53 AND organism_id:9606") - Grouping with parentheses: "((gene:CTNNB1) AND (taxonomy_id:9606))" - Wildcards (* suffix): "gene:PRO*" matches any gene starting with PRO - Ranges: "length:[1000 TO 2000]" or open-ended "length:[5000 TO *]" KEY QUERY FIELDS: Identity / Name: accession UniProt primary accession (e.g., "accession:P04637") id UniProt entry name / mnemonic (e.g., "id:P53_HUMAN") protein_name Protein name, including synonyms (e.g., "protein_name:rubisco") gene Gene name with wildcard support (e.g., "gene:BRCA*") gene_exact Exact gene name match (e.g., "gene_exact:TP53") ec Enzyme Commission number (e.g., "ec:1.1.1.1") Taxonomy: organism_id NCBI taxonomy ID (e.g., "organism_id:9606" for human, "organism_id:10090" for mouse) organism_name Organism scientific or common name taxonomy_id Taxon ID including all descendants lineage Taxonomic lineage keyword Annotation status: reviewed true = Swiss-Prot (manually reviewed), false = TrEMBL (automatically annotated) ALWAYS add "reviewed:true" when seeking high-quality entries. Sequence properties: length Sequence length as a range (e.g., "length:[100 TO 500]") mass Molecular mass in Daltons (range supported) existence Protein existence level: 1 (protein), 2 (transcript), 3 (homology), 4 (predicted), 5 (uncertain) Functional annotation: keyword UniProt keyword name (e.g., "keyword:Kinase") keyword_id UniProt keyword ID (e.g., "keyword_id:KW-0418") function Function free-text annotation family Protein family (e.g., "family:globin") organelle Subcellular organelle (e.g., "organelle:chloroplast") cc_subcellular_location Subcellular location comment Cross-references: database Database cross-reference (e.g., "database:PDB") xref Cross-reference ID (e.g., "xref:pdb-1A2B") chebi ChEBI ID (e.g., "chebi:15422") interactor UniProt accession of interacting protein Literature: lit_author Author surname (e.g., "lit_author:Smith") lit_pubmed PubMed ID lit_doi DOI EXAMPLES (structured queries): # Reviewed human TP53 protein "gene_exact:TP53 AND organism_id:9606 AND reviewed:true" # All human kinases manually reviewed "keyword:Kinase AND organism_id:9606 AND reviewed:true" # EGFR in human or mouse "gene_exact:EGFR AND (organism_id:9606 OR organism_id:10090) AND reviewed:true" # Long chloroplast proteins (>= 5000 aa) in any organism "organelle:chloroplast AND length:[5000 TO *]" # Proteins with PDB structures involved in apoptosis "database:PDB AND keyword:Apoptosis AND organism_id:9606 AND reviewed:true" # Proteins encoded by gene names starting with "PIK3" "gene:PIK3* AND organism_id:9606 AND reviewed:true"
searchNo
keywordNo
keywordsNo
search_termNo

Output Schema

TableJSON Schema
NameRequiredDescriptionDefault
resultYes
Behavior4/5

Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?

With no annotations, the description carries full burden. It discloses that extra parameters are silently dropped, returns TSV on success, and returns 'Error:' on HTTP failure without raising. While it lacks details on rate limits or authorization, it is transparent for a read-only search.

Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.

Conciseness5/5

Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?

The description is structured with a clear purpose, warnings, and bullet points for query fields. It is front-loaded with critical caveats and each sentence serves a purpose. No unnecessary redundancy.

Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.

Completeness5/5

Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?

Given the tool has 8 parameters (mostly synonyms), no required params, and an output schema, the description covers the output format (TSV with specific columns) and error handling. It is comprehensive for a search tool.

Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.

Parameters5/5

Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?

The description explains that several schema parameters (query, search, term, etc.) are synonymous for the search string and adds extensive documentation on Solr query syntax. Despite low schema coverage, the description fully compensates by providing detailed field usage and examples.

Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.

Purpose4/5

Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?

The description states 'Search for a UniProt entity ID by query.' and specifies it returns TSV with accession, protein_name, organism_name. The purpose is clear, but it does not explicitly differentiate from sibling search tools, though the UniProt domain is evident.

Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.

Usage Guidelines5/5

Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?

The description explicitly warns that extra parameters like 'taxon' and 'reviewed' are silently dropped and advises using Solr syntax. It also lists multiple aliases for the search string. This provides clear guidance on when and how to use the tool effectively.

Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.

Install Server

Other Tools

Latest Blog Posts

MCP directory API

We provide all the information about MCP servers via our MCP API.

curl -X GET 'https://glama.ai/api/mcp/v1/servers/dbcls/togomcp'

If you have feedback or need assistance with the MCP directory API, please join our Discord server