Webtag: a new web tool providing tags/anchors for RT-PCR experiments with prokaryotes.
BACKGROUND
Webtag is a tool providing oligonucleotide sequences (usually called tags or anchors) that are absent from a specified genome. These tags/anchors can be appended to gene specific primers for reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction experiments, circumventing genomic DNA contamination.


RESULTS
The use of a relational database, in conjunction with a series of scripts written in PHP and Perl, allows the user to rapidly obtain tags that are: 1) suitable for a specific organism, and 2) compatible with other oligonucleotides to be used in the experimental procedures.


CONCLUSIONS
This new web tool allows scientists to easily and rapidly obtain suitable tags for RT-PCR experiments, and is available at http://www.egs.uu.se/software/webtag/.
Pinto
Fernando Lopes
FL
Department of Photochemistry and Molecular Science, The Angström Laboratories, Uppsala University, Box 523, SE-75120, Uppsala, Sweden. fernando.lopespinto@fotomol.uu.se
Svensson
Håkan
H
Lindblad
Peter
P
D000465:Algorithms; D001483:Base Sequence; D030541:Databases, Genetic; D009841:Oligonucleotides / Q000235:genetics; D011387:Prokaryotic Cells / Q000378:metabolism*; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*; D016324:Sequence Tagged Sites; D012984:Software
D009841:Oligonucleotides