fuzznuc

 

Function

Nucleic acid pattern search

Description

fuzznuc uses PROSITE style patterns to search nucleotide sequences.

Patterns are specifications of a (typically short) length of sequence to be found. They can specify a search for an exact sequence or they can allow various ambiguities, matches to variable lengths of sequence and repeated subsections of the sequence.

fuzznuc intelligently selects the optimum searching algorithm to use, depending on the complexity of the search pattern specified.

Usage

Here is a sample session with fuzznuc


% fuzznuc 
Nucleic acid pattern search
Input sequence(s): tembl:hhtetra
Search pattern: AAGCTT
Number of mismatches [0]: 
Output report [hhtetra.fuzznuc]: 

Go to the input files for this example
Go to the output files for this example

Command line arguments

   Mandatory qualifiers:
  [-sequence]          seqall     Sequence database USA
   -pattern            string     The standard IUPAC one-letter codes for the
                                  nucleotides are used.
                                  The symbol `n' is used for a position where
                                  any nucleotide is accepted.
                                  Ambiguities are indicated by listing the
                                  acceptable nucleotides for a given position,
                                  between square parentheses `[ ]'. For
                                  example: [ACG] stands for A or C or G.
                                  Ambiguities are also indicated by listing
                                  between a pair of curly brackets `{ }' the
                                  nucleotides that are not accepted at a given
                                  position. For example: {AG} stands for any
                                  nucleotides except A and G.
                                  Each element in a pattern is separated from
                                  its neighbor by a `-'. (Optional in
                                  fuzznuc).
                                  Repetition of an element of the pattern can
                                  be indicated by following that element with
                                  a numerical value or a numerical range
                                  between parenthesis. Examples: N(3)
                                  corresponds to N-N-N, N(2,4) corresponds to
                                  N-N or N-N-N or N-N-N-N.
                                  When a pattern is restricted to either the
                                  5' or 3' end of a sequence, that pattern
                                  either starts with a `<' symbol or
                                  respectively ends with a `>' symbol.
                                  A period ends the pattern. (Optional in
                                  fuzznuc).
                                  For example, [CG](5)TG{A}N(1,5)C
   -mismatch           integer    Number of mismatches
  [-outfile]           report     Output report file name

   Optional qualifiers: (none)
   Advanced qualifiers:
   -complement         boolean    Search complementary strand

   General qualifiers:
  -help                boolean    Report command line options. More
                                  information on associated and general
                                  qualifiers can be found with -help -verbose


Mandatory qualifiers Allowed values Default
[-sequence]
(Parameter 1)
Sequence database USA Readable sequence(s) Required
-pattern The standard IUPAC one-letter codes for the nucleotides are used. The symbol `n' is used for a position where any nucleotide is accepted. Ambiguities are indicated by listing the acceptable nucleotides for a given position, between square parentheses `[ ]'. For example: [ACG] stands for A or C or G. Ambiguities are also indicated by listing between a pair of curly brackets `{ }' the nucleotides that are not accepted at a given position. For example: {AG} stands for any nucleotides except A and G. Each element in a pattern is separated from its neighbor by a `-'. (Optional in fuzznuc). Repetition of an element of the pattern can be indicated by following that element with a numerical value or a numerical range between parenthesis. Examples: N(3) corresponds to N-N-N, N(2,4) corresponds to N-N or N-N-N or N-N-N-N. When a pattern is restricted to either the 5' or 3' end of a sequence, that pattern either starts with a `<' symbol or respectively ends with a `>' symbol. A period ends the pattern. (Optional in fuzznuc). For example, [CG](5)TG{A}N(1,5)C Any string is accepted An empty string is accepted
-mismatch Number of mismatches Integer 0 or more 0
[-outfile]
(Parameter 2)
Output report file name Report output file  
Optional qualifiers Allowed values Default
(none)
Advanced qualifiers Allowed values Default
-complement Search complementary strand Boolean value Yes/No No

Input file format

fuzznuc reads in normal nucleic acid sequence USAs.

Input files for usage example

'tembl:hhtetra' is a sequence entry in the example nucleic acid database 'tembl'

Database entry: tembl:hhtetra

ID   HHTETRA    standard; DNA; VRL; 1272 BP.
XX
AC   L46634; L46689;
XX
SV   L46634.1
XX
DT   06-NOV-1995 (Rel. 45, Created)
DT   04-MAR-2000 (Rel. 63, Last updated, Version 3)
XX
DE   Human herpesvirus 7 (clone ED132'1.2) telomeric repeat region.
XX
KW   telomeric repeat.
XX
OS   Human herpesvirus 7
OC   Viruses; dsDNA viruses, no RNA stage; Herpesviridae; Betaherpesvirinae.
XX
RN   [1]
RP   1-1272
RX   MEDLINE; 96079055.
RA   Secchiero P., Nicholas J., Deng H., Xiaopeng T., van Loon N., Ruvolo V.R.,
RA   Berneman Z.N., Reitz M.S. Jr., Dewhurst S.;
RT   "Identification of human telomeric repeat motifs at the genome termini of
RT   human herpesvirus 7: structural analysis and heterogeneity";
RL   J. Virol. 69(12):8041-8045(1995).
XX
FH   Key             Location/Qualifiers
FH
FT   source          1..1272
FT                   /db_xref="taxon:10372"
FT                   /organism="Human herpesvirus 7"
FT                   /strain="JI"
FT                   /clone="ED132'1.2"
FT   repeat_region   207..928
FT                   /note="long and complex repeat region composed of various
FT                   direct repeats, including TAACCC (TRS), degenerate copies
FT                   of TRS motifs and a 14-bp repeat, TAGGGCTGCGGCCC"
FT   misc_signal     938..998
FT                   /note="pac2 motif"
FT   misc_feature    1009
FT                   /note="right genome terminus (...ACA)"
XX
SQ   Sequence 1272 BP; 346 A; 455 C; 222 G; 249 T; 0 other;
     aagcttaaac tgaggtcaca cacgacttta attacggcaa cgcaacagct gtaagctgca        60
     ggaaagatac gatcgtaagc aaatgtagtc ctacaatcaa gcgaggttgt agacgttacc       120
     tacaatgaac tacacctcta agcataacct gtcgggcaca gtgagacacg cagccgtaaa       180
     ttcaaaactc aacccaaacc gaagtctaag tctcacccta atcgtaacag taaccctaca       240
     actctaatcc tagtccgtaa ccgtaacccc aatcctagcc cttagcccta accctagccc       300
     taaccctagc tctaacctta gctctaactc tgaccctagg cctaacccta agcctaaccc       360
     taaccgtagc tctaagttta accctaaccc taaccctaac catgaccctg accctaaccc       420
     tagggctgcg gccctaaccc tagccctaac cctaacccta atcctaatcc tagccctaac       480
     cctagggctg cggccctaac cctagcccta accctaaccc taaccctagg gctgcggccc       540
     taaccctaac cctagggctg cggcccgaac cctaacccta accctaaccc taaccctagg       600
     gctgcggccc taaccctaac cctagggctg cggccctaac cctaacccta gggctgcggc       660
     ccgaacccta accctaaccc taaccctagg gctgcggccc taaccctaac cctagggctg       720
     cggccctaac cctaacccta actctagggc tgcggcccta accctaaccc taaccctaac       780
     cctagggctg cggcccgaac cctagcccta accctaaccc tgaccctgac cctaacccta       840
     accctaaccc taaccctaac cctaacccta accctaaccc taaccctaac cctaacccta       900
     accctaaccc taaccctaac cctaaccccg cccccactgg cagccaatgt cttgtaatgc       960
     cttcaaggca ctttttctgc gagccgcgcg cagcactcag tgaaaaacaa gtttgtgcac      1020
     gagaaagacg ctgccaaacc gcagctgcag catgaaggct gagtgcacaa ttttggcttt      1080
     agtcccataa aggcgcggct tcccgtagag tagaaaaccg cagcgcggcg cacagagcga      1140
     aggcagcggc tttcagactg tttgccaagc gcagtctgca tcttaccaat gatgatcgca      1200
     agcaagaaaa atgttctttc ttagcatatg cgtggttaat cctgttgtgg tcatcactaa      1260
     gttttcaagc tt                                                          1272
//

Pattern specification

Patterns for fuzznuc are based on the format of pattern used in the PROSITE database, with the difference that the terminating dot '.' and the hyphens, '-', between the characters are optional.

The PROSITE pattern definition from the PROSITE documentation (amended to refer to nucleic acid sequences, not proteins) follows.

For example, in the EMBL entry ECLAC you can look for the pattern:


[CG](5)TG{A}N(1,5)C

This searches for "C or G" 5 times, followed by T and G, then anything except A, then any base (1 to 5 times) before a C.

You can use ambiguity codes for nucleic acid searches but not within [] or {} as they expand to bracketed counterparts. For example, "s" is expanded to "[GC]" therefore [S] would be expanded to [[GC]] which is illegal.

Note the use of X is reserved for proteins. You must use N for nucleic acids to refer to any base.

The search is case-independent, so 'AAA' matches 'aaa'.

Output file format

The output is a standard EMBOSS report file.

The results can be output in one of several styles by using the command-line qualifier -rformat xxx, where 'xxx' is replaced by the name of the required format. The available format names are: embl, genbank, gff, pir, swiss, trace, listfile, dbmotif, diffseq, excel, feattable, motif, regions, seqtable, simple, srs, table, tagseq

See: http://www.uk.embnet.org/Software/EMBOSS/Themes/ReportFormats.html for further information on report formats.

By default fuzznuc writes a 'seqtable' report file.

Output files for usage example

File: hhtetra.fuzznuc

########################################
# Program: fuzznuc
# Rundate: Thu Nov 07 14:33:18 2002
# Report_format: seqtable
# Report_file: hhtetra.fuzznuc
########################################

#=======================================
#
# Sequence: HHTETRA     from: 1   to: 1272
# HitCount: 2
#
# Pattern: AAGCTT
# Mismatch: 0
# Complement: No
#
#=======================================

  Start     End Mismatch Sequence
      1       6        . aagctt
   1267    1272        . aagctt

#---------------------------------------
#---------------------------------------

Data files

None.

Notes

None.

References

None.

Warnings

None.

Diagnostic Error Messages

None.

Exit status

It always exits with a status of 0.

Known bugs

None.

See also

Program nameDescription
dregregular expression search of a nucleotide sequence
fuzztranProtein pattern search after translation
marscanFinds MAR/SAR sites in nucleic sequences

Other EMBOSS programs allow you to search for regular expression patterns but may be less easy for the user who has never used regular expressions before:

Author(s)

This application was written by Alan Bleasby (ableasby@hgmp.mrc.ac.uk)

History

Written (2000) - Alan Bleasby
'-usa' added (13 March 2001) - Gary Williams

Target users

This program is intended to be used by everyone and everything, from naive users to embedded scripts.

Comments