EMBOSS: tfscan manual

tfscan

Function

Scans DNA sequences for transcription factors

Description

The TRANSFAC Database is a commercial database of eukaryotic cis-acting regulatory DNA elements and trans-acting factors. It covers the whole range from yeast to human.

An old public domain version is available at: ftp://ftp.ebi.ac.uk/pub/databases/transfac/transfac32.tar.Z

The 'site.dat' data file from TRANSFAC contains information on individual (putatively) regulatory protein binding sites. It has been divided into the following taxonomic groups.

Fungi
Insects
Plants
Vertebrates
Other

The program tfscan takes a sequence and the name of one of these taxonomic groups and does a fast match of the TRANSFAC sequences against the input sequence (optionally allowing mismatches).

The results is a list of the positions which match the binding sites in the TRANSFAC SITE database.

Because the binding sites are so small, there will be many spurious (false positive) matches.

Usage

Here is a sample session with tfscan


% tfscan 
Scans DNA sequences for transcription factors
Input sequence(s): tembl:hsfos
Transcription Factor Class
         F : fungi
         I : insect
         P : plant
         V : vertebrate
         O : other
         C : Custom
Select class [V]: v
Number of mismatches [0]: 
Output file [hsfos.tfscan]:

Go to the input files for this example
Go to the output files for this example

Command line arguments

   Standard (Mandatory) qualifiers (* if not always prompted):
  [-sequence]          seqall     Sequence database USA
   -menu               menu       Select class
*  -custom             datafile   Name of data file
   -mismatch           integer    Number of mismatches
  [-outfile]           outfile    Output file name

   Additional (Optional) qualifiers:
   -minlength          integer    Display matches equal to or above this
                                  length

   Advanced (Unprompted) qualifiers: (none)
   Associated qualifiers:

   "-sequence" associated qualifiers
   -sbegin1             integer    Start of each sequence to be used
   -send1               integer    End of each sequence to be used
   -sreverse1           boolean    Reverse (if DNA)
   -sask1               boolean    Ask for begin/end/reverse
   -snucleotide1        boolean    Sequence is nucleotide
   -sprotein1           boolean    Sequence is protein
   -slower1             boolean    Make lower case
   -supper1             boolean    Make upper case
   -sformat1            string     Input sequence format
   -sdbname1            string     Database name
   -sid1                string     Entryname
   -ufo1                string     UFO features
   -fformat1            string     Features format
   -fopenfile1          string     Features file name

   "-outfile" associated qualifiers
   -odirectory2         string     Output directory

   General qualifiers:
   -auto                boolean    Turn off prompts
   -stdout              boolean    Write standard output
   -filter              boolean    Read standard input, write standard output
   -options             boolean    Prompt for standard and additional values
   -debug               boolean    Write debug output to program.dbg
   -verbose             boolean    Report some/full command line options
   -help                boolean    Report command line options. More
                                  information on associated and general
                                  qualifiers can be found with -help -verbose
   -warning             boolean    Report warnings
   -error               boolean    Report errors
   -fatal               boolean    Report fatal errors
   -die                 boolean    Report deaths

Standard (Mandatory) qualifiers

Allowed values

Default

[-sequence]
(Parameter 1)

Sequence database USA

Readable sequence(s)

Required

-menu

Select class

F	(fungi)
I	(insect)
P	(plant)
V	(vertebrate)
O	(other)
C	(Custom)

-custom

Name of data file

Data file

File in the data file path

-mismatch

Number of mismatches

Integer 0 or more

[-outfile]
(Parameter 2)

Output file name

Output file

<sequence>.tfscan

Additional (Optional) qualifiers

Allowed values

Default

-minlength

Display matches equal to or above this length

Integer 1 or more

Advanced (Unprompted) qualifiers

Allowed values

Default

(none)

Input file format

tfscan reads normal nucleic acid sequence USAs.

Input files for usage example

'tembl:hsfos' is a sequence entry in the example nucleic acid database 'tembl'

Database entry: tembl:hsfos

ID   HSFOS      standard; DNA; HUM; 6210 BP.
XX
AC   K00650; M16287;
XX
SV   K00650.1
XX
DT   26-JUL-1991 (Rel. 28, Created)
DT   02-JUL-1999 (Rel. 60, Last updated, Version 3)
XX
DE   Human fos proto-oncogene (c-fos), complete cds.
XX
KW   c-myc proto-oncogene; fos oncogene; proto-oncogene.
XX
OS   Homo sapiens (human)
OC   Eukaryota; Metazoa; Chordata; Craniata; Vertebrata; Euteleostomi; Mammalia;
OC   Eutheria; Primates; Catarrhini; Hominidae; Homo.
XX
RN   [1]
RP   1-4165
RX   MEDLINE; 83221560.
RA   van Straaten F., Muller R., Curran T., Van Beveren C., Verma I.M.;
RT   "Complete nucleotide sequence of a human c-onc gene: deduced amino acid
RT   sequence of the human c-fos protein";
RL   Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 80(11):3183-3187(1983).
XX
RN   [2]
RX   MEDLINE; 86028185.
RA   Treisman R.;
RT   "Transient accumulation of c-fos RNA following serum stimulation requires a
RT   conserved 5' element and c-fos 3' sequences";
RL   Cell 42(3):889-902(1985).
XX
RN   [3]
RP   4166-6210
RX   MEDLINE; 87217118.
RA   Verma I.M., Deschamps J., Van Beveren C., Sassone-Corsi P.;
RT   "Human fos gene";
RL   Cold Spring Harb. Symp. Quant. Biol. 51:0-0(0).
XX
DR   EPD; EP11145; HS_FOS.
DR   GDB; 119917; FOS.
DR   SWISS-PROT; P01100; FOS_HUMAN.
DR   TRANSFAC; R00458; HS$CFOS_01.
DR   TRANSFAC; R00459; HS$CFOS_02.
DR   TRANSFAC; R00460; HS$CFOS_03.
DR   TRANSFAC; R00461; HS$CFOS_04.
DR   TRANSFAC; R00463; HS$CFOS_06.
DR   TRANSFAC; R00464; HS$CFOS_07.
DR   TRANSFAC; R00465; HS$CFOS_08.
DR   TRANSFAC; R00466; HS$CFOS_09.


  [Part of this file has been deleted for brevity]

     ccagctgtgc agctgcccac cgcaagggca gcagcagcaa tgagccttcc tctgactcgc      3300
     tcagctcacc cacgctgctg gccctgtgag ggggcaggga aggggaggca gccggcaccc      3360
     acaagtgcca ctgcccgagc tggtgcatta cagagaggag aaacacatct tccctagagg      3420
     gttcctgtag acctagggag gaccttatct gtgcgtgaaa cacaccaggc tgtgggcctc      3480
     aaggacttga aagcatccat gtgtggactc aagtccttac ctcttccgga gatgtagcaa      3540
     aacgcatgga gtgtgtattg ttcccagtga cacttcagag agctggtagt tagtagcatg      3600
     ttgagccagg cctgggtctg tgtctctttt ctctttctcc ttagtcttct catagcatta      3660
     actaatctat tgggttcatt attggaatta acctggtgct ggatattttc aaattgtatc      3720
     tagtgcagct gattttaaca ataactactg tgttcctggc aatagtgtgt tctgattaga      3780
     aatgaccaat attatactaa gaaaagatac gactttattt tctggtagat agaaataaat      3840
     agctatatcc atgtactgta gtttttcttc aacatcaatg ttcattgtaa tgttactgat      3900
     catgcattgt tgaggtggtc tgaatgttct gacattaaca gttttccatg aaaacgtttt      3960
     attgtgtttt taatttattt attaagatgg attctcagat atttatattt ttattttatt      4020
     tttttctacc ttgaggtctt ttgacatgtg gaaagtgaat ttgaatgaaa aatttaagca      4080
     ttgtttgctt attgttccaa gacattgtca ataaaagcat ttaagttgaa tgcgaccaac      4140
     cttgtgctct tttcattctg gaagtcttgt aagtttctga aaggtattat tggagaccag      4200
     tttgtcaaga agggtagctg ctggaggggg acacaccctc tgtctgatcc cttatcaaag      4260
     aggacaagga aactatagag ctgattttag aatattttac aaatacatgc cttccattgg      4320
     aatgctaaga ttttctactg cttctgggga cgggaaaccg ctgtgtaaca gcttttgtgg      4380
     gaatacattt tttctgtttc agtactcgca gggggaaata tttaaatttt gttgtgctaa      4440
     tattaaattc agatgttttg atcttaaagg aaccctttaa gcaaacagaa cctagctttg      4500
     tacagactat tttaactttt tattctcaca aaatcacgtg gagggttatt ctacttcaaa      4560
     gatgagcaaa ttgaagaatg gttagaataa acaactttct tgatattccg ttatcggcat      4620
     tagaatcttc ctgctcgtta tcgtatccag caggctgaac tgcctcttga tacttggtta      4680
     aaaaaaattt tcaggccggg cgcggtggcc catgcctgta atcctagcac tttgggaggc      4740
     cgaggcaggc ggatcacctg aggtcgggag ttcgagacca gcctgaccaa catggagaaa      4800
     ccccgtcttt actaaaaata caaaattagc ctggtgtggt ggtgcatgcc tgtaatccta      4860
     gctacttgag aggctgagac aggaaaatca cttgaactcg ggaggcggat gttgcagcga      4920
     actgagattg cgccattgca ctccagcctg ggcaacaaga ttgaaactct gtttaaaaaa      4980
     aaaagttttc actaatgtgt acattttttt gtactctttt attctcgaaa gggaaggagg      5040
     gctattgccc tatcccttat taataaatgc attgtggttt ctggtttctc taataccata      5100
     tgcccttcat tcagtttata gtgggcggaa gtgggggaga aaaagttgct cagaaatcaa      5160
     aagatatctc aaacagcaca aataatggct gatcgttctg caaacaaaaa gttacataat      5220
     agctcaagaa ggagaagtca acatgactct gaacaagctt taacttagaa actttatcat      5280
     cttaaggaag aacgtgacct ttgtccagga cgtctctggt aatggggcac ttacacacac      5340
     atgcacacgt acaaaccaca gggaaaggag accgcccttc tgcctctgct cgcgagtatc      5400
     acgcaggcac catgcactat gttttcacac acactgggtg gaagaagagc ttcagcgcca      5460
     gtcttctaat gctttggtga taatgaaaat cactgggtgc ttatggggtg tcatattcaa      5520
     tcgagttaaa agttttaatt caaaatgaca gttttactga ggttgatgtt ctcgtctatg      5580
     atatctctgc ccctcccata aaaatggaca tttaaaagca acttaccgct ctttagatca      5640
     ctcctatatc acacaccact tggggtgctg tttctgctag acttgtgatg acagtggcct      5700
     taggatccct gtttgctgtt caaagggcaa atattttata gcctttaaat atacctaaac      5760
     taaatacaga attaatataa ctaacaaaca cctggtctga aataacaagg tgatctaccc      5820
     tggaaggaac ccagctggtg ggccaggagc ggtggctcac acctgtaatt ccagcacttt      5880
     gggaggctga gacaggagga tcactggagt ccaggagttt gagaccagcc tgggcaacat      5940
     ggcaaaaccc agtgtgcttc tgttgtccca gctacactac tcaggaggct gaggcaggag      6000
     tatgacttga gcctgggagg gggaggttgc agagaactga tattgcacca ccactgcact      6060
     ccagcctggg tgacacagca aaaccctatc tcaaaaaaaa aaaaaaaaaa aaggaaccca      6120
     gctggttcct gtaggtgtgc aataataaca accagaggaa gaaaaggaag acgatttccc      6180
     agatgaagaa gggcagctgg accttcggac                                       6210
//

Output file format

Output files for usage example

File: hsfos.tfscan

TFSCAN of HSFOS from 1 to 6210

MOUSE$FCGR3A_02      R04413   3287  3292  ttcctc
                     T00702; PU.1;Quality: 3; Species: mouse, Mus musculus.
HS$ALBU_03           R00079   5940  5944  tggca
HS$ALBU_03           R00079   3757  3761  tggca
HS$ALBU_03           R00079   2776  2780  tggca
HS$ALBU_03           R00079   2418  2422  tggca
HS$ALBU_03           R00079   2010  2014  tggca
HS$ALBU_03           R00079   1676  1680  tggca
HS$ALBU_03           R00079   1356  1360  tggca
                     T00599; NF-1/L;Quality: 6; Species: rat, Rattus norvegicus.
HS$ALBU_02           R00078   2009  2014  ttggca

The output consists of a title line then 5 columns separated by whitespace.

The first column is the identifier of the entry.

The second column is the Accession Number of the entry.

The third and fourth columns are the start and end positions of the match in your input sequence.

The fifth column is the sequence of the region where a match has been found.

Binding factor information, where available, is given at the end of the matches for each matching entry.

Data files

tfscan reads the TRANSFAC SITE data held in the EMBOSS data files:

tffungi
tfinsect
tfplant
tfvertebrate
tfother

Your EMBOSS administrator will have to run the EMBOSS program tfextract in order to set these files up from the TRANSFAC distribution files.

EMBOSS data files are distributed with the application and stored in the standard EMBOSS data directory, which is defined by the EMBOSS environment variable EMBOSS_DATA.

To see the available EMBOSS data files, run:

% embossdata -showall

To fetch one of the data files (for example 'Exxx.dat') into your current directory for you to inspect or modify, run:


% embossdata -fetch -file Exxx.dat

Users can provide their own data files in their own directories. Project specific files can be put in the current directory, or for tidier directory listings in a subdirectory called ".embossdata". Files for all EMBOSS runs can be put in the user's home directory, or again in a subdirectory called ".embossdata".

The directories are searched in the following order:

. (your current directory)
.embossdata (under your current directory)
~/ (your home directory)
~/.embossdata

Notes

None.

References

Nucleic Acids Res. 16: 1879-1902, 1988
BioTechForum - Advances in Molecular Genetics (J. Collins,A.J. Driesel, eds.) 4:95-108, 1991
Nucleic Acids Res. 20:3-26, 1992

Warnings

Your EMBOSS administrator will have to run the EMBOSS program tfextract in order to set up the data files from the TRANSFAC distribution files.

Diagnostic Error Messages

"EMBOSS An error in tfscan.c at line 82:
Either EMBOSS_DATA undefined or TFEXTRACT needs running"

This means that you should contact your EMBOSS administrator and ask them to run the tfextract program to set up the TRANSFAC data for EMBOSS.

Exit status

It always exits with a status of 0.

Known bugs

None.

Author(s)

Alan Bleasby (ajb © ebi.ac.uk)
European Bioinformatics Institute, Wellcome Trust Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge CB10 1SD, UK

History

Written Summer 2000 - Alan Bleasby

Target users

This program is intended to be used by everyone and everything, from naive users to embedded scripts.

Comments

None

Function

Description

Usage

Command line arguments

Input file format

Input files for usage example

Database entry: tembl:hsfos

Output file format

Output files for usage example

File: hsfos.tfscan

Data files

Notes

References

Warnings

Diagnostic Error Messages

Exit status

Known bugs

See also

Author(s)

History

Target users

Comments