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FragMatch |
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FragMatch is a user-friendly Java-supported program which automates the identification of taxa present in mixed samples by comparing community DNA fragment data against a database of reference patterns for known species. The program has a user-friendly windows interface and was primarily designed for the analysis of fragment data derived from T-RFLP of ectomycorrhizal fungal communities but may be adapted for other applications, such as microsatellite analyses. The program uses a simple algorithm to check for the presence of reference fragments within sample files that can be directly imported and the results appear in a clear summary table that also details the parameters that were used for the analysis. This program is significantly more flexible than earlier programs designed for matching RFLP patterns as it allows default or user defined parameters to be used in the analysis and has an unlimited database size in terms of both the number of reference species/individuals and the number of diagnostic fragments per database entry. While the program has been developed with mycorrhizal fungi in mind, it can be used to analyse any DNA fragment data regardless of biological origin. The FragMatch program along with a full description and users guide is freely available to download from this web site using the links below.
Although we have developed and tested FragMatch, we take no responsibility for the accuracy of data produced and published as a result of using this program.
