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Title: The iPhyClassifier, an interactive online tool for phytoplasma classification and taxonomic assignment

Author
item Zhao, Yan
item WEI, WEI - University Of Maryland
item Lee, Ing Ming
item Shao, Jonathan
item SUO, XIAOBING - US Department Of Interior
item Davis, Robert

Submitted to: Methods in Molecular Biology
Publication Type: Book / Chapter
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/13/2011
Publication Date: 9/21/2012
Citation: Zhao, Y., Wei, W., Lee, I., Shao, J.Y., Suo, X., Davis, R.E. 2012. The iPhyClassifier, an interactive online tool for phytoplasma classification and taxonomic assignment. Methods in Molecular Biology. 938:329-338.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: The iPhyClassifier is an Internet-based research tool for quick identification and classification of diverse phytoplasmas. The iPhyClassifier simulates laboratory restriction enzyme digestions and subsequent gel electrophoresis and generates virtual restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) patterns. Based on RFLP pattern similarity coefficient scores, it makes instant suggestions on group and subgroup classification status of the phytoplasma strains under study. The iPhyClassifier also aligns the query sequences with that of reference strains of all previously described ‘Candidatus Phytoplasma’ species, calculates sequence similarity scores, and assigns the phytoplasmas under study into respective ‘Ca. Phytoplasma’ species as related strains according to the guidelines set forth by the Phytoplasma Taxonomy Group of the International Research Program on Comparative Mycoplasmology. Additional functions of the iPhyClassifier include delineation of potentially new phytoplasma groups and subgroups as well as new ‘Ca. Phytoplasma’ species. This chapter describes the program components, the operational procedure, and the underlying principles of the iPhyClassifier operation. The chapter also provides hints on how to interpret the results.