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Julio Rozas answers a
few questions about this month's fast breaking paper in the field of
Computer Science.
From
•>>February 2005
Field:
Computer Science
Article Title: DnaSP, DNA polymorphism analyses by the coalescent and other methods
Authors: Rozas,
J;Sanchez-DelBarrio, JC;Messeguer,
X;Rozas, R
Journal: BIOINFORMATICS
Volume: 19
Page: 2496-2497
Year: DEC 12 2003
* Univ Barcelona, Fac Biol, Dept Genet, Diagonal 645, E-08071 Barcelona, Spain.
* Univ Barcelona, Fac Biol, Dept Genet, E-08071 Barcelona, Spain.
* Univ Politecn Catalunya, Dept Llenguatges & Sistemes Informat, Barcelona, Spain.
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Why do you think your paper is
highly cited?
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“...the software allows estimating the level and
pattern of nucleotide diversity within and among populations...”
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I suspect that the paper has been so highly cited since it
describes a comprehensive software for the analysis of DNA
polymorphism data. Nowadays, there is great interest in the
analysis of DNA sequence polymorphisms and single nucleotide
polymorphisms (SNPs)
data because of their usefulness in understanding the
evolutionary forces underlying nucleotide variation and in
mapping a disease’s genes. In addition, DnaSP has been one of
the first softwares designed for these analyses.
Does it describe a new discovery or a new methodology
that's useful to others?
The paper describes a powerful yet easy-to-use software which
implements a number of population genetics analytical methods
that are useful for analyzing and interpreting DNA polymorphism
data.
Could you summarize the significance of your paper in
layman's terms?
DnaSP software implements many of the state-of-the-art
analyses for DNA polymorphism data. In particular, the software
allows estimating the level and pattern of nucleotide diversity
within and among populations, recombination rates, the extent of
linkage disequilibrium between polymorphic sites, or the
conducting of coalescent-based neutrality tests. These methods
are useful, for instance, in determining the relative
contributions of the different evolutionary forces in shaping
nucleotide variation, and hence in detecting the past action of
natural selection.
How did you become involved in this research?
I became involved thanks to my Ph.D. supervisor, Professor
Montserrat Aguadé. During my Ph.D. studies I carried out a
nucleotide variation analysis using Restriction Fragment Length
Polymorphisms (RFLPs).
In the 1990s, with the introduction of the PCR and the automatic
DNA sequencing technologies, we started a fine analysis of DNA
sequence polymorphisms. Later, in 1994, I began with the
development of the first version of the DnaSP software.
Dr. Julio Rozas
Associate Professor
Departament de Genètica
Facultat de Biologia
Universitat de Barcelona
Barcelona, Spain
- of the journal Bioinformatics
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ESI Special Topics,
February 2005
Citing URL - http://www.esi-topics.com/fbp/2005/february05-JulioRozas.html
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