MeDor: a metaserver for predicting protein disorder

BMC Genomics. 2008 Sep 16;9 Suppl 2(Suppl 2):S25. doi: 10.1186/1471-2164-9-S2-S25.

Abstract

Background: We have previously shown that using multiple prediction methods improves the accuracy of disorder predictions. It is, however, a time-consuming procedure, since individual outputs of multiple predictions have to be retrieved, compared to each other and a comprehensive view of the results can only be obtained through a manual, fastidious, non-automated procedure. We herein describe a new web metaserver, MeDor, which allows fast, simultaneous analysis of a query sequence by multiple predictors and provides a graphical interface with a unified view of the outputs.

Results: MeDor was developed in Java and is freely available and downloadable at: http://www.vazymolo.org/MeDor/index.html. Presently, MeDor provides a HCA plot and runs a secondary structure prediction, a prediction of signal peptides and transmembrane regions and a set of disorder predictions. MeDor also enables the user to customize the output and to retrieve the sequence of specific regions of interest.

Conclusion: As MeDor outputs can be printed, saved, commented and modified further on, this offers a dynamic support for the analysis of protein sequences that is instrumental for delineating domains amenable to structural and functional studies.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Computational Biology / methods*
  • Database Management Systems*
  • Databases, Protein
  • Internet
  • Protein Structure, Secondary
  • Proteins / chemistry*
  • Sequence Analysis, Protein / methods*
  • User-Computer Interface

Substances

  • Proteins