Populous: a tool for building OWL ontologies from templates

Background

Computing accurate nucleic acid melting temperatures has become a crucial step for the efficiency and the optimisation of numerous molecular biology techniques such as in situ hybridization, PCR, antigene targeting, and microarrays. MELTING is a free open source software which computes the enthalpy, entropy and melting temperature of nucleic acids. MELTING 4.2 was able to handle several types of hybridization such as DNA/DNA, RNA/RNA, DNA/RNA and provided corrections to melting temperatures due to the presence of sodium. The program can use either an approximative approach or a more accurate Nearest-Neighbor approach.

Results

Two new versions of the MELTING software have been released. MELTING 4.3 is a direct update of version 4.2, integrating newly available thermodynamic parameters for inosine, a modified adenine base with an universal base capacity, and incorporates a correction for magnesium. MELTING 5 is a complete reimplementation which allows much greater flexibility and extensibility. It incorporates all the thermodynamic parameters and corrections provided in MELTING 4.x and introduces a large set of thermodynamic formulae and parameters, to facilitate the calculation of melting temperatures for perfectly matching sequences, mismatches, bulge loops, CNG repeats, dangling ends, inosines, locked nucleic acids, 2-hydroxyadenines and azobenzenes. It also includes temperature corrections for monovalent ions (sodium, potassium, Tris), magnesium ions and commonly used denaturing agents such as formamide and DMSO.

Conclusions

MELTING is a useful and very flexible tool for predicting melting temperatures using approximative formulae or Nearest-Neighbor approaches, where one can select different sets of Nearest-Neighbor parameters, corrections and formulae. Both versions are freely available at http://sourceforge.net/projects/melting/and at http://www.ebi.ac.uk/compneur-srv/melting/under the terms of the GPL license.     

LGICdb: the ligand-gated ion channel database

Ligand-Gated Ion Channels (LGIC) are polymeric transmembrane proteins involved in the fast response to numerous neurotransmitters. All these receptors are formed by homologous subunits and the last two decades revealed an unexpected wealth of genes coding for these subunits. The Ligand-Gated Ion Channel database (LGICdb) has been developed to handle this increasing amount of data. The database aims to provide only one entry for each gene, containing annotated nucleic acid and protein sequences. The repository is carefully structured and the entries can be retrieved by various criteria. In addition to the sequences, the LGICdb provides multiple sequence alignments, phylogenetic analyses and atomic coordinates when available. The database is accessible via the World Wide Web (http://www.pasteur.fr/recherche/banques/LGIC /LGIC.html), where it is continuously updated. The version 16 (September 2000) available for download contained 333 entries covering 34 species.     

The HuGeMap Database: interconnection and visualization of human genome maps.

The HuGeMap database stores the major genetic and physical maps of the human genome. HuGeMap is accessible on the Web at http://www. infobiogen.fr/services/Hugemap and through a CORBA server. A standard genome map data format for the interconnection of genome map databases was defined in collaboration with the EBI. The HuGeMap CORBA server provides this interconnection using the interface definition language IDL. Two graphical user interfaces were developed for the visualization of the HuGeMap data: ZoomMap (http://www.infobiogen.fr/services/zomit/Zoom Map.html) for navigation by zooming and data transformation via magic lenses, and MappetShow (http://www.infobiogen.fr/services/Mappet) for visualizing and comparing maps.     

Recent improvements of the ProDom database of protein domain families.

The ProDom database contains protein domain families generated from the SWISS-PROT database by automated sequence comparisons. The current version was built with a new improved procedure based on recursive PSI-BLAST homology searches. ProDom can be searched on the World Wide Web to study domain arrangements within either known families or new proteins, with the help of a user-friendly graphical interface (http://www.toulouse.inra.fr/prodom.html). Recent improvements to the ProDom server include: ProDom queries under the SRS Sequence Retrieval System; links to the PredictProtein server; phylogenetic trees and condensed multiple alignments for a better representation of large domain families, with zooming in and out capabilities. In addition, a similar server was set up to display the outcome of whole genome domain analysis as applied to 17 completed microbial genomes (http://www.toulouse.inra.fr/prodomCG.html ).     

ProDom and ProDom-CG: tools for protein domain analysis and whole genome comparisons

ProDom contains all protein domain families automatically generated from the SWISS-PROT and TrEMBL sequence databases (http://www. toulouse.inra.fr/prodom.html ). ProDom-CG results from a similar domain analysis as applied to completed genomes (http://www.toulouse. inra.fr/prodomCG.html ). Recent improvements to the ProDom database and its server include: scaling up to include sequences from TrEMBL, addition of Pfam-A entries to the set of expert validated families, assignment of stable accession numbers, consistency indicators for domain families, domain arrangements of sub-families and links to Pfam-A.     

ARIA2: automated NOE assignment and data integration in NMR structure calculation

Modern structural genomics projects demand for integrated methods for the interpretation and storage of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) data. Here we present version 2.1 of our program ARIA (Ambiguous Restraints for Iterative Assignment) for automated assignment of nuclear Overhauser enhancement (NOE) data and NMR structure calculation. We report on recent developments, most notably a graphical user interface, and the incorporation of the object-oriented data model of the Collaborative Computing Project for NMR (CCPN). The CCPN data model defines a storage model for NMR data, which greatly facilitates the transfer of data between different NMR software packages. Availability: A distribution with the source code of ARIA 2.1 is freely available at http://www.pasteur.fr/recherche/unites/Binfs/aria2.     

AMIGene: Annotation of MIcrobial Genes

AMIGene (Annotation of MIcrobial Genes) is an application for automatically identifying the most likely coding sequences (CDSs) in a large contig or a complete bacterial genome sequence. The first step in AMIGene is dedicated to the construction of Markov models that fit the input genomic data (i.e. the gene model), followed by the combination of well-known gene-finding methods and an heuristic approach for the selection of the most likely CDSs. The web interface allows the user to select one or several gene models applied to the analysis of the input sequence by the AMIGene program and to visualize the list of predicted CDSs graphically and in a downloadable text format. The AMIGene web site is accessible at the following address: http://www.genoscope.cns.fr/agc/tools/amigene/index.html (Contact: sbocs@genoscope.cns.fr).     

Easier threading through web-based comparisons and cross-validations

SUMMARY: We have developed a WWW server for the integration and comparison of protein structure predictions performed by five different servers. Users submit an amino acid sequence to a selected set of these prediction methods. Results are gathered on a web-based page in order to facilitate comparison and analysis. All the alignments are further evaluated through a common threading tool making their comparisons easier. AVAILABILITY: The meta-server is available free at http://www.infobiosud.cnrs.fr/bioserver SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: http://www.infobiosud.cnrs.fr/bioserver/hah1.html     

VarMixt: efficient variance modelling for the differential analysis of replicated gene expression data

MOTIVATION: Identifying differentially regulated genes in experiments comparing two experimental conditions is often a key step in the microarray data analysis process. Many different approaches and methodological developments have been put forward, yet the question remains open. RESULTS: Varmixt is a powerful and efficient novel methodology for this task. It is based on a flexible and realistic variance modelling strategy. It compares favourably with other popular techniques (standard t-test, SAM and Cyber-T). The relevance of the approach is demonstrated with real-world and simulated datasets. The analysis strategy was successfully applied to both a 'two-colour' cDNA microarray and an Affymetrix Genechip. Strong control of false positive and false negative rates is proven in large simulation studies. AVAILABILITY: The R package is freely available at http://www.inapg.inra.fr/ens_rech/mathinfo/recherche/mathematique/outil.html CONTACT: delmar@inapg.inra.fr SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: http://www.inapg.inra.fr/ens_rech/mathinfo/recherche/mathematique/outil.html.     

HuGeMap: a distributed and integrated Human Genome Map database.

The HuGeMap database stores the major genetic and physical maps of the human genome. It is also interconnected with the gene radiation hybrid mapping database RHdb. HuGeMap is accessible through a Web server for interactive browsing at URL http://www.infobiogen. fr/services/Hugemap , as well as through a CORBA server for effective programming. HuGeMap is intended as an attempt to build open, interconnected databases, that is databases that distribute their objects worldwide in compliance with a recognized standard of distribution. Maps can be displayed and compared with a java applet (http://babbage.infobiogen.fr:15000/Mappet/Show. html ) that queries the HuGeMap ORB server as well as the RHdb ORB server at the EBI.     

The ProDom database of protein domain families.

The ProDom database contains protein domain families generated from the SWISS-PROT database by automated sequence comparisons. It can be searched on the World Wide Web (http://protein.toulouse.inra. fr/prodom.html ) or by E-mail (prodom@toulouse.inra.fr) to study domain arrangements within known families or new proteins. Strong emphasis has been put on the graphical user interface which allows for interactive analysis of protein homology relationships. Recent improvements to the server include: ProDom search by keyword; links to PROSITE and PDB entries; more sensitive ProDom similarity search with BLAST or WU-BLAST; alignments of query sequences with homologous ProDom domain families; and links to the SWISS-MODEL server (http: //www.expasy.ch/swissmod/SWISS-MODEL.html ) for homology based 3-D domain modelling where possible.     

Molecular Evolution of Zika Virus during Its Emergence in the 20th Century

Zika virus (ZIKV) is a mosquito-borne flavivirus first isolated in Uganda in 1947. Although entomological and virologic surveillance have reported ZIKV enzootic activity in diverse countries of Africa and Asia, few human cases were reported until 2007, when a Zika fever epidemic took place in Micronesia. In the context of West Africa, the WHO Collaborating Centre for Arboviruses and Hemorrhagic Fever at Institut Pasteur of Dakar (http://www.pasteur.fr/recherche/banques/CRORA/) reports the periodic circulation of ZIKV since 1968. Despite several reports on ZIKV, the genetic relationships among viral strains from West Africa remain poorly understood. To evaluate the viral spread and its molecular epidemiology, we investigated 37 ZIKV isolates collected from 1968 to 2002 in six localities in Senegal and Côte d''Ivoire. In addition, we included strains from six other countries. Our results suggested that these two countries in West Africa experienced at least two independent introductions of ZIKV during the 20^th century, and that apparently these viral lineages were not restricted by mosquito vector species. Moreover, we present evidence that ZIKV has possibly undergone recombination in nature and that a loss of the N154 glycosylation site in the envelope protein was a possible adaptive response to the Aedes dalzieli vector.     

Machaon CVE: cluster validation for gene expression data

SUMMARY: This paper presents a cluster validation tool for gene expression data. Machaon CVE (Clustering and Validation Environment) system aims to partition samples or genes into groups characterized by similar expression patterns, and to evaluate the quality of the clusters obtained. AVAILABILITY: The program is freely available for non-profit use on request at http://www.cs.tcd.ie/Nadia.Bolshakova/Machaon.html SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: http://www.cs.tcd.ie/Nadia.Bolshakova/Machaon.html     

RRTree: relative-rate tests between groups of sequences on a phylogenetic tree

SUMMARY: RRTree is a user-friendly program for comparing substitution rates between lineages of protein or DNA sequences, relative to an outgroup, through relative rate tests. Genetic diversity is taken into account through use of several sequences, and phylogenetic relations are integrated by topological weighting. AVAILABILITY: The ANSI C source code of RRTree, and compiled versions for Macintosh, MS-DOS/Windows, SUN Solaris, and CGI, are freely available at http://pbil.univ-lyon1.fr/software/rrtree.html CONTACT: marc.robinson@ens-lyon.fr     

GOAnno: GO annotation based on multiple alignment

SUMMARY: GOAnno is a web tool that automatically annotates proteins according to the Gene Ontology (GO) using evolutionary information available in hierarchized multiple alignments. GO terms present in the aligned functional subfamily can be cross-validated and propagated to obtain highly reliable predicted GO annotation based on the GOAnno algorithm. AVAILABILITY: The web tool and a reduced version for local installation are freely available at http://igbmc.u-strasbg.fr/GOAnno/GOAnno.html SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The website supplies a detailed explanation and illustration of the algorithm at http://igbmc.u-strasbg.fr/GOAnno/GOAnnoHelp.html.     

The Ligand Gated Ion Channel Database.

The ligand gated ion channels (LGICs) are ionotropic receptors to neurotransmitters. Their physiological effect is carried out by the opening of an ionic channel upon binding of a particular neurotransmitter. These LGICs constitute superfamilies of receptors formed by homologous subunits. A database has been developed to handle the growing wealth of cloned subunits. This database contains nucleic acid sequences, protein sequences, as well as multiple sequence alignments and phylogenetic studies. This database is accessible via the worldwide web (http://www.pasteur.fr/units/neubiomol/LGIC.h tml), where it is continuously updated. A downloadable version is also available [currently v0.1 (98.06)].     

MICROFAMILY (version 1): a computer program for detecting flanking‐region similarities among different microsatellite loci

Microsatellite flanking regions are not necessarily unique sequences, but they may group into sequence families. Microsatellites occurring within such families are likely to give multiple banding patterns during polymerase chain reaction amplifications. microfamily (version 1) is a program that detects flanking‐region similarities between different microsatellite‐containing sequences, thus allowing for potentially problematic sequences to be eliminated prior to primer design. The program also accomplishes some otherwise tedious sequence editing, such as checking for nonpermitted characters, and eliminates poorly readable extremities or potential vector/adapter contamination. microfamily is written in Perl and available for Linux and Windows systems at http://www.up.univ‐mrs.fr/local/egee/dir/meglecz/microfamily.html .