Identification of embryo specific human isoforms using a database of predicted alternative splice forms

Alternative splicing is one of the most important mechanisms to generate a large number of mRNA and protein isoforms from a small number of genes. Its study became one of the hot topics in computational genome analysis. The repository EASED (Extended Alternatively Spliced EST Database, http://eased.bioinf.mdc-berlin.de/) stores a large collection of splice variants predicted from comparing the human genome against EST databases. It enables finding new unpublished splice forms that could be interesting candidate genes for stage specific, diseases specific or tissue specific splicing. The main idea behind selecting specific splice forms is to compare the number and the origin of ESTs confirming one isoform with the number and the origin of ESTs confirming the opposite isoform. A measure asDcs is introduced to take into account the unequal distribution of ESTs per splice site on one hand, and the possible uncertainties due to the relatively low quality of EST data on the other hand. Firs...

• Type: Journal
• Year: 2006
• Where: JIB
• Authors: Heike Pospisil
• Keywords: Est Databases, ESTs, JIB 2006, Splice Forms