Analyzing HT-SELEX data with the Galaxy Project tools--A web based bioinformatics platform for biomedical research

Area of Science:

• Molecular Biology
• Bioinformatics
• Genomics

Background:

• Aptamers (DNA/RNA molecules) are crucial for research, diagnostics, and therapeutics.
• High-throughput sequencing (HTS) has transformed aptamer identification.
• A gap exists in user-friendly bioinformatics tools for analyzing HTS aptamer data.

Purpose of the Study:

• To adapt Galaxy Project tools for aptamer HTS data analysis.
• To provide molecular biologists with accessible tools for aptamer sequence identification.
• To streamline the analysis of aptamer selection data.

Main Methods:

• Utilizing the Galaxy Project's open-source webserver and graphical interface.
• Applying pre-existing Galaxy tools for data pre-processing, compilation, and filtering.
• Adapting tools for the analysis of aptamer HTS data from multiple selection rounds.

Main Results:

• Demonstrated the applicability of Galaxy tools to aptamer HTS data.
• Provided a user-friendly, online platform for aptamer data analysis without coding.
• Facilitated the identification of candidate aptamer sequences from complex datasets.

Conclusions:

• The Galaxy Project offers a powerful and accessible solution for aptamer HTS data analysis.
• These adapted tools empower molecular biologists to expedite aptamer discovery.
• The integration of Galaxy tools advances the field of aptamer research and applications.