A web server for computing the size of DNA/protein fragments using a graphical method

Abstract

A web server has been developed for computing the size of DNA/protein fragments from their electrophoretic mobilities using a graphical method. This server is based on the computer program DNASIZE (Raghava 1994). It uses DNA marker data and selects the semilogarithmic linear range (slrange), i.e., linear portion of the semilogarithmic curve (mobility vs. log of DNA fragment length). Over this range, a least-squares interpolation is derived for calculating the size of DNA fragments whose mobility falls in sl-range. The program derives hyperbolic interpolation formula over the entire range for determining the size of DNA fragments whose mobility is beyond the semilogarithmic linear range. This server can also be used to compute the size of proteins or polypeptides from SDSPAGE. This web server utilizes a CGI program written in Perl and Javascript, which makes the server live and interactive (imtech.res.in/raghava/dnasize/).