title: Meta4: a web application for sharing and annotating metagenomic gene predictions using web services.
abstract: Whole-genome shotgun metagenomics experiments produce DNA sequence data from entire ecosystems, and provide a huge amount of novel information. Gene discovery projects require up-to-date information about sequence homology and domain structure for millions of predicted proteins to be presented in a simple, easy-to-use system. There is a lack of simple, open, flexible tools that allow the rapid sharing of metagenomics datasets with collaborators in a format they can easily interrogate. We present Meta4, a flexible and extensible web application that can be used to share and annotate metagenomic gene predictions. Proteins and predicted domains are stored in a simple relational database, with a dynamic front-end which displays the results in an internet browser. Web services are used to provide up-to-date information about the proteins from homology searches against public databases. Information about Meta4 can be found on the project website, code is available on Github, a cloud image is available, and an example implementation can be seen at.
authors.affiliation: ARK-Genomics, The Roslin Institute and R(D)SVS, University of Edinburgh Easter Bush, Midlothian, UK.
authors.forename: Emily J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Richardson
authors.forename: Franck
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Escalettes
authors.forename: Ian
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Fotheringham
authors.forename: Robert J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Wallace
authors.forename: Mick
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Watson
keywords: bioinformatics; database; gene discovery; metagenomics; web service
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