science.ensembl.gene_lookup
Look up a gene by symbol (e.g. "BRCA1", "TP53") in any of 300+ vertebrate and non-vertebrate species. Returns Ensembl gene ID, genomic coordinates, biotype, description, and (optionally) the full list of transcripts with their coordinates. Data: rest.ensembl.org (EMBL-EBI / Wellcome Sanger Instit...
This record as markdown: /tools/io-github-whiteknightonhorse-apibase/science.ensembl.gene-lookup.md
What science.ensembl.gene_lookup does on Apibase
AI agents call science.ensembl.gene_lookup to retrieve information from Apibase without modifying anything. It is typically the context-gathering step in research, monitoring, and reporting workflows, before the agent takes action elsewhere.
| Parameter | Type | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
expand | boolean | — | Include the list of transcripts for this gene in the response. Default: true |
symbol | string | Yes | Gene symbol to look up (e.g. "BRCA1", "TP53", "EGFR") |
species | string | Yes | Species name in Ensembl format — scientific snake_case (e.g. "homo_sapiens", "mus_musculus") or common alias (e.g. "human", "mouse") |
Parameters from the server's own tool schema.
Why science.ensembl.gene_lookup is rated Low
Queries public genomic databases for gene information without side effects.
From the tool's definition Look up a gene by symbol, returns gene ID and coordinates, no auth required
Attacks that exploit this kind of access
The rule that runs science.ensembl.gene_lookup safely
PolicyLayer is an MCP gateway: it sits between your AI agents and Apibase, and checks every tool call against a rule you set before the call runs. Nothing changes on the server itself. For science.ensembl.gene_lookup, this is the rule to start with:
science.ensembl.gene_lookup is read-only, so it stays allowed. Everything else on the server is denied unless you say otherwise.
The button opens the PolicyLayer dashboard: create your workspace, connect Apibase, apply this rule, and every science.ensembl.gene_lookup call is checked against it from then on.
Questions about science.ensembl.gene_lookup
Look up a gene by symbol (e.g. "BRCA1", "TP53") in any of 300+ vertebrate and non-vertebrate species. Returns Ensembl gene ID, genomic coordinates, biotype, description, and (optionally) the full list of transcripts with their coordinates. Data: rest.ensembl.org (EMBL-EBI / Wellcome Sanger Institute), no auth required. It is categorised as a Read tool in the Apibase MCP Server, which means it retrieves data without modifying state.
science.ensembl.gene_lookup accepts 3 parameters: expand, symbol, species. Required: symbol, species. The full parameter table on this page comes from the server's own tool schema.
Register the Apibase MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for science.ensembl.gene_lookup: allow, deny, rate-limit, or require approval. Point your MCP client at the PolicyLayer proxy URL and the rule is enforced on every call, before it reaches Apibase. Nothing to install.
science.ensembl.gene_lookup is a Read tool with low risk. Read-only tools are generally safe to allow by default.
Yes. Add a rate_limit block to the science.ensembl.gene_lookup rule in your PolicyLayer policy. For example, setting max: 10 and window: 60 limits the tool to 10 calls per minute. Rate limits are tracked per agent session and reset automatically.
Set action: deny in the PolicyLayer policy for science.ensembl.gene_lookup. The AI agent will receive a policy violation error and cannot call the tool. You can also include a reason field to explain why the tool is blocked.
science.ensembl.gene_lookup is provided by the Apibase MCP server (apibase-mcp-client). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.
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