A compact, flexible and cheap system for acquiring sequence data from autoradiograms with a digitizer and...

In this article we describe MS-EdSeq, an integrated system for fast and accurate gel reading combined with safe and automatic file transfer to an arbitrary host computer. The uniqueness of MS-EdSeq is its way of forming a link between the interactive sequence editor on the PC and the potential of the minicomputer acting as a host, thus making optimal use of both systems. This is especially suited for the moderately sized research group, using DNA-sequencing as one of various biochemical methods, where PCs are already in use for other tasks and a minicomputer is available. The gel reading algorithm described is fast, accurate and simple and the file transfer relies on the safe and well-known Kermit programs.