Uprobe 2008: an online resource for universal overgo hybridization-based probe retrieval and design

Cross-species sequence comparisons are a prominent method for analyzing genomic DNA and an ever increasing number of species are being selected for whole-genome sequencing. Targeted comparative genomic sequencing is a complementary approach to whole-genome shotgun sequencing and can produce high-quality sequence assemblies of orthologous chromosomal regions of interest from multiple species. Genomic libraries necessary to support targeted mapping and sequencing projects are available for more than 90 vertebrates. An essential step for utilizing these and other genomic libraries for targeted mapping and sequencing is the development of the hybridization-based probes, which are necessary to screen a genomic library of interest. The Uprobe website (http://uprobe.genetics.emory.edu) provides a public online resource for identifying or designing 'universal' overgo-hybridization probes from conserved sequences that can be used to efficiently screen one or more genomic libraries from a designated group of species. Currently, Uprobe provides the ability to search or design probes for use in broad groups of species, including mammals and reptiles, as well as more specific clades, including marsupials, carnivores, rodents and nonhuman primates. In addition, Uprobe has the capability to design custom probes from multiple-species sequence alignments provided by the user, thus providing a general tool for targeted comparative physical mapping.