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RNAdraw: an integrated program for RNA secondary structure calculation and analysis under 32-bit Microsoft Windows
1Department of Medical Biophysics, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden. info@base8.se
Computer Applications in the Biosciences : CABIOS
|June 1, 1996
Summary
RNAdraw software enables RNA secondary structure analysis on Windows PCs, overcoming previous memory limitations. This tool offers enhanced visualization, editing, and novel interactive structure creation for RNA research.
Area of Science:
- Computational biology
- Bioinformatics
- Molecular biology
Background:
- RNA secondary structure analysis was historically confined to mainframe computers due to memory constraints.
- Existing software often lacked user-friendly interfaces and advanced editing capabilities.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a user-friendly software, RNAdraw, for RNA secondary structure analysis on modern 32-bit Windows systems.
- To port established RNA structure calculation algorithms into an accessible graphical environment.
Main Methods:
- Porting algorithms for secondary structure, basepair probability matrix, and heat curve calculations from a Unix environment.
- Implementing an intuitive graphical user interface (GUI) for Windows.
Main Results:
- RNAdraw provides extensive viewing, editing, and printing functionalities for RNA structures.
- Novel features include interactive de novo structure creation and combined visualization of structures with basepair probabilities.
- Users can edit energy parameters and extract structures at different probability levels.
Conclusions:
- RNAdraw democratizes RNA secondary structure analysis by enabling it on personal computers.
- The software enhances research capabilities through its intuitive interface and advanced analytical features.