ComBo : a visualization tool for comparative genomic data

Abstract

Propelled by advances in sequencing technology, the advent of the genomic era brings the challenge of managing and interpreting massive amount of genomic data. A number of single-genome browsers have been developed for data display. However, they are unsuitable for comparative analysis. We present a dynamic and interactive visualization tool called ComBo that allows users to quickly navigate sequences, browse their similarities in a dot plot format, display sequence annotations in feature maps, and compare annotations in corresponding regions. ComBo allows users to directly control the display. They can compare any two regions in the sequences at any resolution, from an entire chromosome down to the residue level. Users can also retrieve detailed information on any displayed sequence feature or alignment. ComBo can import data from the Calhoun annotation database or flat files. Developed in Java, ComBo has a flexible infrastructure allowing the easy addition of functionality in the future.