| 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 nucleotide sequence(s): tembl:k00650
    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 [k00650.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     Nucleotide sequence(s) filename and optional
                                      format, or reference (input USA)
       -menu               menu       [V] Select class (Values: F (fungi); I
                                      (insect); P (plant); V (vertebrate); O
                                      (other); C (Custom))
    *  -custom             datafile   Transfac database data file (optional)
       -mismatch           integer    [0] Number of mismatches (Integer 0 or more)
      [-outfile]           outfile    [*.tfscan] Output file name

       Additional (Optional) qualifiers:
       -minlength          integer    [1] Display matches equal to or above this
                                      length (Integer 1 or more)

       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 dying program messages

Standard (Mandatory) qualifiers | Allowed values | Default
--- | --- | ---
[-sequence] (Parameter 1) | Nucleotide sequence(s) filename and optional format, or reference (input USA) | Readable sequence(s) | Required

-menu

Select class

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

V

-custom | Transfac database data file (optional) | Data file | File in the data file path
-mismatch | Number of mismatches | Integer 0 or more | 0
[-outfile] (Parameter 2) | Output file name | Output file | <*>.tfscan
Additional (Optional) qualifiers | Allowed values | Default
-minlength | Display matches equal to or above this length | Integer 1 or more | 1
Advanced (Unprompted) qualifiers | Allowed values | Default
(none)

## Input file format

tfscan reads normal nucleic acid sequence USAs.

### Input files for usage example

'tembl:k00650' is a sequence entry in the example nucleic acid database 'tembl'

### Database entry: tembl:k00650

    ID   K00650; SV 1; linear; genomic DNA; STD; HUM; 6210 BP.
    XX
    AC   K00650; M16287;
    XX
    DT   26-JUL-1991 (Rel. 28, Created)
    DT   14-NOV-2006 (Rel. 89, Last updated, Version 4)
    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; Euarchontoglires; Primates; Haplorrhini; Catarrhini; Hominidae;
    OC   Homo.
    XX
    RN   [1]
    RP   1-4165
    RX   PUBMED; 6574479.
    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   DOI; 10.1016/0092-8674(85)90285-5.
    RX   PUBMED; 2414012.
    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   PUBMED; 3555978.
    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   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.
    DR   TRANSFAC; R00467; HS$CFOS_10.
    DR   TRANSFAC; R00468; HS$CFOS_11.

      [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: k00650.tfscan

    TFSCAN of K00650 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.

## See also

Program name | Description
--- | ---

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

## 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