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GeneRAGE: a robust algorithm for sequence clustering and domain detection.

MOTIVATION: Efficient, accurate and automatic clustering of large protein sequence datasets, such as complete proteomes, into families, according to sequence similarity. Detection and correction of false positive and negative relationships with subsequent detection and resolution of multi-domain proteins. RESULTS: A new algorithm for the automatic clustering of protein sequence datasets has been developed. This algorithm represents all similarity relationships within the dataset in a binary matrix. Removal of false positives is achieved through subsequent symmetrification of the matrix using a Smith-Waterman dynamic programming alignment algorithm. Detection of multi-domain protein families and further false positive relationships within the symmetrical matrix is achieved through iterative processing of matrix elements with successive rounds of Smith-Waterman dynamic programming alignments. Recursive single-linkage clustering of the corrected matrix allows efficient and accurate family representation for each protein in the dataset. Initial clusters containing multi-domain families, are split into their constituent clusters using the information obtained by the multi-domain detection step. This algorithm can hence quickly and accurately cluster large protein datasets into families. Problems due to the presence of multi-domain proteins are minimized, allowing more precise clustering information to be obtained automatically. AVAILABILITY: GeneRAGE (version 1.0) executable binaries for most platforms may be obtained from the authors on request. The system is available to academic users free of charge under license.

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SST: an algorithm for finding near-exact sequence matches in time proportional to the logarithm of the database size.

MOTIVATION: Searches for near exact sequence matches are performed frequently in large-scale sequencing projects and in comparative genomics. The time and cost of performing these large-scale sequence-similarity searches is prohibitive using even the fastest of the extant algorithms. Faster algorithms are desired. RESULTS: We have developed an algorithm, called SST (Sequence Search Tree), that searches a database of DNA sequences for near-exact matches, in time proportional to the logarithm of the database size n. In SST, we partition each sequence into fragments of fixed length called 'windows' using multiple offsets. Each window is mapped into a vector of dimension 4(k) which contains the frequency of occurrence of its component k-tuples, with k a parameter typically in the range 4-6. Then we create a tree-structured index of the windows in vector space, with tree-structured vector quantization (TSVQ). We identify the nearest neighbors of a query sequence by partitioning the query into windows and searching the tree-structured index for nearest-neighbor windows in the database. When the tree is balanced this yields an O(logn) complexity for the search. This complexity was observed in our computations. SST is most effective for applications in which the target sequences show a high degree of similarity to the query sequence, such as assembling shotgun sequences or matching ESTs to genomic sequence. The algorithm is also an effective filtration method. Specifically, it can be used as a preprocessing step for other search methods to reduce the complexity of searching one large database against another. For the problem of identifying overlapping fragments in the assembly of 120 000 fragments from a 1.5 megabase genomic sequence, SST is 15 times faster than BLAST when we consider both building and searching the tree. For searching alone (i.e. after building the tree index), SST 27 times faster than BLAST. AVAILABILITY: Request from the authors.

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A branch-and-bound algorithm for the inference of ancestral amino-acid sequences when the replacement rate varies among sites: Application to the evolution of five gene families.

MOTIVATION: We developed an algorithm to reconstruct ancestral sequences, taking into account the rate variation among sites of the protein sequences. Our algorithm maximizes the joint probability of the ancestral sequences, assuming that the rate is gamma distributed among sites. Our algorithm probably finds the global maximum. The use of 'joint' reconstruction is motivated by studies that use the sequences at all the internal nodes in a phylogenetic tree, such as, for instance, the inference of patterns of amino-acid replacement, or tracing the biochemical changes that occurred during the evolution of a given protein family. RESULTS: We give an algorithm that guarantees finding the global maximum. The efficient search method makes our method applicable to datasets with large number sequences. We analyze ancestral sequences of five gene families, exploring the effect of the amount of among-site-rate-variation, and the degree of sequence divergence on the resulting ancestral states. AVAILABILITY AND SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: http://evolu3.ism.ac.jp/~tal/ CONTACT: tal@ism.ac.jp

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An approximate matching algorithm for finding (sub-)optimal sequences in S-attributed grammars.

MOTIVATION: S-attributed grammars (a generalization of classical Context-Free grammars) provide a versatile formalism for sequence analysis which allows to express long range constraints: the RNA folding problem is a typical example of application. Efficient algorithms have been developed to solve problems expressed with these tools, which generally compute the optimal attribute of the sequence w.r.t. the grammar. However, it is often more meaningful and/or interesting from the biological point of view to consider almost optimal attributes as well as approximate sequences; we thus need more flexible and powerful algorithms able to perform these generalized analyses. RESULTS: In this paper we present a basic algorithm which, given a grammar G and a sequence omega, computes the optimal attribute for all (approximate) strings omega(') in L(G) such that d(omega, omega(')) < or = M, and whose complexity is O(n(r + 1)) in time and O(n(2)) in space (r is the maximal length of the right-hand side of any production of G). We will also give some extensions and possible improvements of this algorithm.

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DNAMAT: an efficient graphic matrix sequence homology algorithm and its application to structural analysis.

We present a fast algorithm to produce a graphic matrix representation of sequence homology. The algorithm is based on lexicographical ordering of fragments. It preserves most of the options of a simple naive algorithm with a significant increase in speed. This algorithm was the bais for a program, called DNAMAT, that has been extensively tested during the last three years at the Weizmann Institute of Science and has proven to be very useful. In addition we suggest a way to extend our approach to analyse a series of related DNA or RNA sequences, in order to determine certain common structural features. The analysis is done by 'summing' a set of dot-matrices to produce an overall matrix that displays structural elements common to most of the sequences. We give an example of this procedure by analysing tRNA sequences.

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Graphics of RNA secondary structure; towards an object-oriented algorithm.

We present a new algorithm for the display of RNA secondary structure. The principle of the algorithm is entirely different from those currently in use in that our algorithm is 'object oriented' while current algorithms are 'procedural'. The circular RNA molecule of chrysanthemum stunt viroid was used as input data for demonstrating the operation of the program. The major interest of this method will be found in its potential use in simulation graphics of RNA folding processes.

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An algorithm for searching restriction maps.

This paper presents an algorithm that searches a DNA restriction enzyme map for regions that approximately match a shorter 'probe' map. Both the map and the probe consist of a sequence of address-enzyme pairs denoting restriction sites, and the algorithm penalizes a potential match for undetected or missing sites and for discrepancies in the distance between adjacent sites. The algorithm was designed specifically for comparing relatively short DNA sequences with a long restriction map, a problem that will become increasing common as large physical maps are generated. The algorithm has been used to extract information from a restriction map of the entire Escherichia coli genome.

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An algorithm to fit the Gompertz function to growth curves.

An algorithm to fit the Gompertz growth function is presented. This algorithm is easy to program on a microcomputer. The algorithm is based on employing a searching technique to solve a set of equations derived from the Gompertz function. Its application may prove valuable when access to a computer mainframe is difficult. Such a method may be useful in construction of a specific growth curve in biology, or as a managerial tool in livestock enterprise, as well as in the clinical treatment of tumors. Demonstration of the successful application of this algorithm in experimental livestock growth data are presented.

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APLOGEN: an object-oriented genetic algorithm performing Monte Carlo optimization.

Problem-solving and modelling within a biological context often need a level of descriptive accuracy that is unlikely to be capable of analytical treatment, especially if the mathematical background of the biologist is poor. Furthermore solver-model maintenance is often difficult without the availability of trained specialists. Better prospects are found in the genetic algorithm field. Genetic algorithms are a set of procedures formulated to solve complex problems without specifying rules for intermediate steps. This approach becomes feasible performing a Monte Carlo simulation of the natural evolution process, in which population improvement (search for solutions) in a considered environment (the specific problem domain) is achieved by following the genetic paradigm. Starting with a randomly constituted sample of individuals, drawn from the population of admissible values and expressed as binary strings, random mating brings about individuals of the next generation. Parents are chosen with a greater probability as the number of constraints violated by each individual becomes smaller. During the constitution of each generation the presence of some genetic operators causes the improvement of population diversity and its maintenance. Genetic operators are simple string transformation rules, generally independent of a specific context. We have developed the constant core of a minimal genetic algorithm, from which can be derived genetic problem-solvers in specific domains. An applicative example--a constrained matrix equation on signed integers--is also realized to show graphically the algorithm dynamics.

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SIMD parallelization of the WORDUP algorithm for detecting statistically significant patterns in DNA sequences.

The development of new techniques in sequencing nuclei acids has produced a great amount of sequence data and has led to the discovery of new relationships. In this paper, we study a method for parallelizing the algorithm WORDUP, which detects the presence of statistically significant patterns in DNA sequences. WORDUP implements an efficient method to identify the presence of statistically significant oligomers in a non-homologous group of sequences. It is based on a modified version of the Boyer-Moore algorithm, which is one of the fastest algorithms for string matching available in the literature. The aim of the parallel version of WORDUP presented here is to speed up the computational time and allow the analysis of a greater set of longer nucleotide sequences, which is usually impractical with sequential algorithms.

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An efficient algorithm to locate all locally optimal alignments between two sequences allowing for gaps.

An efficient algorithm is described to locate locally optimal alignments between two sequences allowing for insertions and deletions. The algorithm is based on that of Smith and Waterman which returns the single best local alignment. However, the algorithm described here permits all non-intersecting locally optimal alignments to be determined in a single pass through the comparison matrix. The algorithm simplifies the location of repeats, multiple domains and shuffled motifs, and is fast enough to be used on a conventional workstation to scan large sequence databanks.

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dGAMLSS: an exact, distributed algorithm to fit Generalized Additive Models for Location, Scale, and Shape for privacy-preserving population reference charts.

MOTIVATION: There is growing interest in estimating population reference ranges across age and sex to better identify atypical clinically-relevant measurements throughout the lifespan. For this task, the World Health Organization recommends using Generalized Additive Models for Location, Scale, and Shape (GAMLSS), which can model non-linear growth trajectories under complex distributions that address the heterogeneity in human populations.Fitting GAMLSS models requires large, generalizable sample sizes, especially for accurate estimation of extreme quantiles, but obtaining such multi-site data can be challenging due to privacy concerns and practical considerations. In settings where patient data cannot be shared, privacy-preserving distributed algorithms for federated learning can be used, but no such algorithm exists for GAMLSS. RESULTS: We propose distributed GAMLSS (dGAMLSS), a distributed algorithm that can fit GAMLSS models across multiple sites without sharing patient-level data. This includes specific considerations for the fitting of smooth functions at varying levels of communication efficiency. We demonstrate the effectiveness of dGAMLSS in constructing population reference charts across clinical, genomics, and neuroimaging settings and show that dGAMLSS is able to reproduce pooled reference charts and inference down to numerical differences. AVAILABILITY AND IMPLEMENTATION: An R package providing examples of the dGAMLSS algorithm, as well as functions for sharing and aggregating site-specific parameters, is available at https://github.com/hufengling/dGAMLSS.

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MaxSubSeq: an algorithm for segment-length optimization. The case study of the transmembrane spanning segments.

MOTIVATION: A problem in predicting the topography of transmembrane proteins is the optimal localization of the transmembrane segments along the protein sequences, provided that each residue is associated with a propensity of being or not being included in the transmembrane protein region. From previous work it is known that post-processing of propensity signals with suited algorithms can greatly improve the quality and the accuracy of the predictions. In this paper we describe a general dynamic programming-like algorithm (MaxSubSeq, Maximal SubSequence) specifically designed to optimize the number and length of segments with constrained length in a given protein sequence. Previous application of our algorithm, has proved its effectiveness in the optimization task of both neural network and hidden Markov models output, and in this paper we present the detailed description of MaxSubSeq. RESULTS: We describe the application of MaxSubSeq to the location of both helical and beta strand transmembrane segments, optimizing the outputs derived with different predictive algorithms. For all-alpha transmembrane proteins we use both the standard Kyte-Doolittle (KD) hydropathy scale and the TMHMM predictor (http://www.cbs.dtu.dk/). Using a set of 188 well characterized membrane proteins, MaxSubSeq nearly doubles the correct location of transmembrane segments as compared to the standard KD hydrophobicity plot, reaching 51% accuracy. If MaxSubSeq is used to optimize the TMHMM method the accuracy increases from 68 to 72%. When used to regularize the prediction of beta transmembrane strands, obtained using both a neural network and a HMM based predictors, MaxSubSeq increases the accuracy per protein up to 72 and 73% respectively. AVAILABILITY: The program is available upon request to the authors, or it is accessible through our web server (http://gpcr.biocomp.unibo.it/predictors/)

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MINRMS: an efficient algorithm for determining protein structure similarity using root-mean-squared-distance.

MOTIVATION: Existing algorithms for automated protein structure alignment generate contradictory results and are difficult to interpret. An algorithm which can provide a context for interpreting the alignment and uses a simple method to characterize protein structure similarity is needed. RESULTS: We describe a heuristic for limiting the search space for structure alignment comparisons between two proteins, and an algorithm for finding minimal root-mean-squared-distance (RMSD) alignments as a function of the number of matching residue pairs within this limited search space. Our alignment algorithm uses coordinates of alpha-carbon atoms to represent each amino acid residue and requires a total computation time of O(m(3) n(2)), where m and n denote the lengths of the protein sequences. This makes our method fast enough for comparisons of moderate-size proteins (fewer than approximately 800 residues) on current workstation-class computers and therefore addresses the need for a systematic analysis of multiple plausible shape similarities between two proteins using a widely accepted comparison metric.

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Design and assessment of a fast algorithm for identifying specific probes for human and mouse genes.

MOTIVATION: Mammalian genomes are highly complex. To identify the unique sequences of each gene in a mammalian gene database containing tens of thousands of DNA sequences is a computation intensive task. With the advent of parallel genetic analysis methods such as microarrays and the availability of more and more whole genome sequences of organisms, an algorithm allowing speedy identification of the unique gene probes for functional studies of individual genes will be a very useful tool. RESULTS: We have developed a fast algorithm as well as a software program based on the algorithm for identifying gene specific probes of complex organisms. The algorithm was applied to the assemblies of gene sequences and was highly efficient for large databases such as the TIGR human THC and mouse TC databases. The results were assessed with the BLAST sequence alignment software. Two probe data sets have been compiled to contain specific probes for around 100 000 putative human gene transcripts and 70 000 putative mouse gene transcripts. AVAILABILITY: The gene specific probes for the putative human and mouse genes referenced in the TIGR gene indices are available at: ftp://genestamp.ibms.sinica.edu.tw/pub/SpecificP/. The software program and the source codes are available upon request.

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A comparison of physical mapping algorithms based on the maximum likelihood model.

MOTIVATION: Physical mapping of chromosomes using the maximum likelihood (ML) model is a problem of high computational complexity entailing both discrete optimization to recover the optimal probe order as well as continuous optimization to recover the optimal inter-probe spacings. In this paper, two versions of the genetic algorithm (GA) are proposed, one with heuristic crossover and deterministic replacement and the other with heuristic crossover and stochastic replacement, for the physical mapping problem under the maximum likelihood model. The genetic algorithms are compared with two other discrete optimization approaches, namely simulated annealing (SA) and large-step Markov chains (LSMC), in terms of solution quality and runtime efficiency. RESULTS: The physical mapping algorithms based on the GA, SA and LSMC have been tested using synthetic datasets and real datasets derived from cosmid libraries of the fungus Neurospora crassa. The GA, especially the version with heuristic crossover and stochastic replacement, is shown to consistently outperform the SA-based and LSMC-based physical mapping algorithms in terms of runtime and final solution quality. Experimental results on real datasets and simulated datasets are presented. Further improvements to the GA in the context of physical mapping under the maximum likelihood model are proposed. AVAILABILITY: The software is available upon request from the first author.

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Alignment of BLAST high-scoring segment pairs based on the longest increasing subsequence algorithm.

MOTIVATION: The popular BLAST algorithm is based on a local similarity search strategy, so its high-scoring segment pairs (HSPs) do not have global alignment information. When scientists use BLAST to search for a target protein or DNA sequence in a huge database like the human genome map, the existence of repeated fragments, homologues or pseudogenes in the genome often makes the BLAST result filled with redundant HSPs. Therefore, we need a computational strategy to alleviate this problem. RESULTS: In the gene discovery group of Celera Genomics, I developed a two-step method, i.e. a BLAST step plus an LIS step, to align thousands of cDNA and protein sequences into the human genome map. The LIS step is based on a mature computational algorithm, Longest Increasing Subsequence (LIS) algorithm. The idea is to use the LIS algorithm to find the longest series of consecutive HSPs in the BLAST output. Such a BLAST+LIS strategy can be used as an independent alignment tool or as a complementary tool for other alignment programs like Sim4 and GenWise. It can also work as a general purpose BLAST result processor in all sorts of BLAST searches. Two examples from Celera were shown in this paper.

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Genes@Work: an efficient algorithm for pattern discovery and multivariate feature selection in gene expression data.

MOTIVATION: Despite the growing literature devoted to finding differentially expressed genes in assays probing different tissues types, little attention has been paid to the combinatorial nature of feature selection inherent to large, high-dimensional gene expression datasets. New flexible data analysis approaches capable of searching relevant subgroups of genes and experiments are needed to understand multivariate associations of gene expression patterns with observed phenotypes. RESULTS: We present in detail a deterministic algorithm to discover patterns of multivariate gene associations in gene expression data. The patterns discovered are differential with respect to a control dataset. The algorithm is exhaustive and efficient, reporting all existent patterns that fit a given input parameter set while avoiding enumeration of the entire pattern space. The value of the pattern discovery approach is demonstrated by finding a set of genes that differentiate between two types of lymphoma. Moreover, these genes are found to behave consistently in an independent dataset produced in a different laboratory using different arrays, thus validating the genes selected using our algorithm. We show that the genes deemed significant in terms of their multivariate statistics will be missed using other methods. AVAILABILITY: Our set of pattern discovery algorithms including a user interface is distributed as a package called Genes@Work. This package is freely available to non-commercial users and can be downloaded from our website (http://www.research.ibm.com/FunGen).

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