[Zope] Using MySQL from a product

I amd creating a product, that needs to communicate with MySQL (inserting/updating records and making select queries). I've installed MySQLdb and Z MySQLDA and can easily create connections from ZMI. I don't know however, how to communicate directly with MySQL from my product. Should I rely on a connection created in ZMI? Or do I create my own connection - if so: how? And how do I make the queries? - Carsten