FragMatch--a program for the analysis of DNA fragment data

Abstract

FragMatch is a user-friendly Java-supported program that 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 terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis 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. Although the program has been developed with mycorrhizal fungi in mind, it can be used to analyse any DNA fragment data regardless of biological origin. FragMatch, along with a full description and users guide, is freely available to download from the Aberdeen Mycorrhiza Group web page (http://www.aberdeenmycorrhizas.com).