Patent ID: 6304868
Filing Date: 2001-10-16
Classification: G16B,Y10S

Abstract:
A method of grouping sequences in a sequence database to provide a sequence cluster containing similar sequences, the method comprising:(a) providing an inquiry sequence;(b) determining a positive quantity of similar sequences to said inquiry sequence from the sequence database using a database search program, wherein said positive quantity of similar sequences includes all sequences in said sequence database for which the probability that similarity occurs randomly is below a predetermined threshold level;(c) selecting one sequence having the highest probability of randomly occurred similarity from said positive quantity determined for said inquiry sequence as a subsequent search sequence;(d) determining a subsequent positive quantity of similar sequences for said subsequent search sequence from the sequence database using the database search program as in (b);(e) identifing new sequences in said subsequent positive quantity that are not included in said positive quantity determined for said inquiry sequence, said new sequences being combined with said positive quantity of similar sequences of said inquiry sequence;(f) repeating steps (c) to (e) as long as new sequences are still identified that are not contained in the combined positive quantity of similar sequences of step (e) and as long as there is an intersection between sequences in the combined positive quantity and any sequences in the subsequent positive quantity; and(g) outputting all the different sequences contained in the combined positive quantity as one cluster containing similar sequences.