GenomeViz: visualizing microbial genomes.
BACKGROUND
An increasing number of microbial genomes are being sequenced and deposited in public databases. In addition, several closely related strains are also being sequenced in order to understand the genetic basis of diversity and mechanisms that lead to the acquisition of new genetic traits. These exercises have necessitated the requirement for visualizing microbial genomes and performing genome comparisons on a finer scale. We have developed GenomeViz to enable rapid visualization and subsequent comparisons of several microbial genomes in an interactive environment.


RESULTS
Here we describe a program that allows visualization of both qualitative and quantitative information from complete and partially sequenced microbial genomes. Using GenomeViz, data deriving from studies on genomic islands, gene/protein classifications, GC content, GC skew, whole genome alignments, microarrays and proteomics may be plotted. Several genomes can be visualized interactively at the same time from a comparative genomic perspective and publication quality circular genome plots can be created.


CONCLUSIONS
GenomeViz should allow researchers to perform visualization and comparative analysis of up to eight different microbial genomes simultaneously.
Ghai
Rohit
R
Institute of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Justus-Liebig-University, Frankfurter Strasse 107, D-35392 Giessen, Germany. Rohit.Ghai@mikrobio.med.uni-giessen.de
Hain
Torsten
T
Chakraborty
Trinad
T
D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics; D003196:Computer Graphics; D018899:CpG Islands / Q000235:genetics; D048168:Escherichia coli K12 / Q000235:genetics*; D020862:GC Rich Sequence / Q000235:genetics; D005798:Genes, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D016680:Genome, Bacterial; D008087:Listeria / Q000235:genetics*; D012984:Software; D013045:Species Specificity
D001426:Bacterial Proteins