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Mapping Biomolecular Sequences: Graphical Representations - Their Origins, Applications and Future Prospects.
1Theory Division, Centre for Interdisciplinary Research and Education, Kolkata 700068, India.
Combinatorial Chemistry & High Throughput Screening
|May 10, 2021
Summary
Graphical representations offer an efficient, alignment-free method for analyzing vast biological sequence data. This approach visualizes sequence information and enables comparisons, providing new insights into DNA and protein structures.
Area of Science:
- Bioinformatics
- Computational Biology
- Genomics
Background:
- Exponential growth in biological sequence data necessitates efficient analysis methods.
- Traditional alignment procedures are computationally intensive and time-consuming.
- Alignment-free strategies are increasingly important for handling large datasets.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the origins and applications of graphical representations for biological sequence analysis.
- To highlight the potential and future perspectives of this alignment-free approach.
- To demonstrate how graphical methods can overcome limitations of traditional sequence analysis.
Main Methods:
- Plotting basic units of DNA/RNA (bases) and proteins (amino acids) on multi-dimensional grids.
- Utilizing 2D, 3D, and higher-dimensional graphical representations for visual inspection.
- Applying geometrical or matrix-based numerical analyses to compare sequences and study hierarchies.
Main Results:
- Graphical representations provide a visual perception of underlying sequence information.
- Numerical analyses of plots enable quantitative comparison between sequences.
- This method facilitates the study of large DNA sequences and reveals insights into base composition structures.
Conclusions:
- Graphical representation is a powerful alignment-free tool for biological sequence analysis.
- It offers efficient data storage, retrieval, and analysis compared to alignment methods.
- Future research can further leverage graphical methods for deeper biological insights.
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