VISTAS: a package for VIsualizing STructures and sequences of proteins

VISTAS is a suite of programs for protein sequence and structure analysis. The system allows the simultaneous display, in separate windows, of multiple sequence alignments, of known or model 3D structures, and of 2D graphic representations of sequence and/or alignment properties. The displays are fully integrated, and therefore manipulations in one window can be reflected in each of the others. Beyond its display facilities, VISTAS brings together a number of existing tools under a single, user-friendly umbrella: these include a fully functional interactive color alignment procedure, conserved motif selection, a range of database-scanning routines, and interactive access to the OWL composite sequence database and to the PRINTS protein fingerprint database. Exploration of the sequence database is thus straightforward, and predefined structural motifs from the fingerprint database may be readily visualized. Of particular note is the ability to calculate conservation criteria from sequence alignments and to display the information in a 3D context: this renders VISTAS a powerful tool for aiding mutagenesis studies and for facilitating refinement of molecular models.