easyExon--a Java-based GUI tool for processing and visualization of Affymetrix exon array data.
BACKGROUND
Alternative RNA splicing greatly increases proteome diversity and thereby contribute to species- or tissue-specific functions. The possibility to study alternative splicing (AS) events on a genomic scale using splicing-sensitive microarrays, including the Affymetrix GeneChip Exon 1.0 ST microarray (exon array), has appeared very recently. However, the application of this new technology is hindered by the lack of free and user-friendly software devoted to these novel platforms.


RESULTS
In this study we present a Java-based freeware, easyExon http://microarray.ym.edu.tw/easyexon, to process, filtrate and visualize exon array data with an analysis pipeline. This tool implements the most commonly used probeset summarization methods as well as AS-orientated filtration algorithms, e.g. MIDAS and PAC, for the detection of alternative splicing events. We include a biological filtration function according to GO terms, and provide a module to visualize and interpret the selected exons and transcripts. Furthermore, easyExon can integrate with other related programs, such as Integrate Genome Browser (IGB) and Affymetrix Power Tools (APT), to make the whole analysis more comprehensive. We applied easyExon on a public accessible colon cancer dataset as an example to illustrate the analysis pipeline of this tool.


CONCLUSIONS
EasyExon can efficiently process and analyze the Affymetrix exon array data. The simplicity, flexibility and brevity of easyExon make it a valuable tool for AS event identification in genomic research.
Chang
Ting-Yu
TY
Institute of Microbiology and Immunology, National Yang-Ming University, and Department of Education and Research, Taipei City Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan. d49402002@ym.edu.tw
Li
Yin-Yi
YY
Jen
Chih-Hung
CH
Yang
Tsun-Po
TP
Lin
Chi-Hung
CH
Hsu
Ming-Ta
MT
Wang
Hsei-Wei
HW
D017398:Alternative Splicing / Q000235:genetics; D000818:Animals; D005091:Exons; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D016247:Information Storage and Retrieval / Q000379:methods; D051379:Mice; D020411:Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis / Q000379:methods*; D051381:Rats; D014584:User-Computer Interface