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Software.ncrna.org: web servers for analyses of RNA sequences
Kiyoshi Asai1, Hisanori Kiryu, Michiaki Hamada
1Department of Computational Biology, Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, University of Tokyo, 5-1-5 Kashiwa-no-ha, Chiba 277-8561, Japan.
Nucleic Acids Research
|April 29, 2008
Summary
We developed web servers for analyzing non-coding RNA (ncRNA) secondary structures. These tools offer structural alignments and motif finding, accessible freely online for researchers.
Area of Science:
- Bioinformatics
- Computational Biology
- Molecular Biology
Background:
- Non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) play crucial roles in various biological processes.
- Understanding ncRNA function often requires analyzing their secondary structures.
- Existing tools may lack comprehensive features for structural ncRNA analysis.
Purpose of the Study:
- To present novel, integrated web servers for the analysis of non-coding RNA sequences based on secondary structures.
- To provide accessible software tools for structural multiple sequence alignments, pairwise sequence alignments, and motif finding.
- To offer a freely available resource for the scientific community without login requirements.
Main Methods:
- Development of integrated and stand-alone web servers.
- Implementation of algorithms for structural multiple and pairwise sequence alignments.
- Integration of a structural motif finding tool.
- Deployment of the web servers at a dedicated URL (http://software.ncrna.org).
Main Results:
- Successfully launched web servers for comprehensive ncRNA secondary structure analysis.
- Provided functional software tools for structural alignment and motif discovery.
- Ensured free and open access to the resources for all users.
Conclusions:
- The presented web servers offer valuable and accessible tools for ncRNA research.
- Facilitates the study of ncRNA structure-function relationships through advanced computational analysis.
- Promotes wider adoption of computational methods in ncRNA biology.
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