A high-throughput processing service for retention time alignment of complex proteomics and metabolomics LC-MS data

Warp2D is a novel time alignment approach, which uses the overlapping peak volume of the reference and sample peak lists to correct misleading peak shifts. Here, we present an easy-to-use web interface for high-throughput Warp2D batch processing time alignment service using the Dutch Life Science Grid, reducing processing time from days to hours. This service provides the warping function, the sample chromatogram peak list with adjusted retention times and normalized quality scores based on the sum of overlapping peak volume of all peaks. Heat maps before and after time alignment are created from the arithmetic mean of the sum of overlapping peak area rearranged with hierarchical clustering, allowing the quality control of the time alignment procedure. Taverna workflow and command line tool are provided for remote processing of local user data. AVAILABILITY: online data processing service is available at http://www.nbpp.nl/warp2d.html. Taverna workflow is available at myExperiment with title '2D Time Alignment-Webservice and Workflow' at http://www.myexperiment.org/workflows/1283.html. Command line tool is available at http://www.nbpp.nl/Warp2D_commandline.zip. CONTACT: p.l.horvatovich@rug.nl SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.