Unraveling transcriptional control and cis-regulatory codes using the software suite GeneACT

Abstract

Deciphering gene regulatory networks requires the systematic identification of functional cis-acting regulatory elements. We present a suite of web-based bioinformatics tools, called GeneACT http://promoter.colorado.edu, that can rapidly detect evolutionarily conserved transcription factor binding sites or microRNA target sites that are either unique or over-represented in differentially expressed genes from DNA microarray data. GeneACT provides graphic visualization and extraction of common regulatory sequence elements in the promoters and 3′-untranslated regions that are conserved across multiple mammalian species. © 2006 Cheung et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.