Briefs

MatInspector professional now open to the academic public.

MatInspector professional is a computer program for the identification of transcription factor binding sites in genomic DNA. MatInspector professional is the widely enhanced commercial version of formerly released MatInspector. When it comes to the analysis of DNA for transcription factor binding sites, MatInspector has become the de facto standard worldwide. Transcription factors play a crucial role in the regulation of genes. Recent estimates of only about 30,000 genes in the human genome, thus covering around 3% of the genome, underline the importance of complex regulatory networks. Many diseases like cancer result from dysregulation involving transcription factors and their binding sites at DNA.

�Genomatix is a spin-off company of an academic research center�, says Kerstin Cartharius, Executive Vice President of Genomatix and main author of MatInspector. �We value our ties into the academic community very highly and have a tradition of supporting public academic research. With this move we want to enable academic researchers around the world to utilize cutting edge technology for their important contribution to understand the mechanisms of life�, she continues.� All we require is a short online registration form and the researcher will immediately have online access to the continuously updated latest version of MatInspector professional�, she concludes.

Genomatix Software GmbH is a pioneer in the in silico functional analysis of genomic sequences and specializes in transcriptional regulation. Genomatix developed PromoterInspector, the first and so far only commercially available program for specific prediction of mammalian promoters in entire genomes. Genomatix has analyzed the entire human genome for promoters and created a database with over 24,000 unique human promoters (GPR). It also developed proprietary technology for subsequent functional in silico analysis of these promoters (GEMS Launcher), enabling reverse engineering from DNA level to regulatory networks. MatInspector professional is integral part of GEMS Launcher and can be accessed via http://www.genomatix.de.

Features of MatInspector professional include: - Extended and completely reorganized matrix library. - Individually optimized matrix similarity thresholds for all matrices - Grouping of functionally similar matrices into families - Significant reduction of false positive matches - User-defined matrix subsets can be saved for subsequent analyses - Pre-defined IUPAC libraries (e.g. restriction sites, retroviral primer binding sites)

Press contact: Genomatix Software GmbH, Klaus May, Landsberger Str. 6, D-80339 M�nchen Tel.: (089) 599 766-0, Email: info@genomatix.de, HTTP://WWW.GENOMATIX.DE