ABSTRACT
Summary: The reconstruction of population processes from
DNA sequence variation requires the coordinated implementation
of several coalescent-based methods, each bound
by specific assumptions and limitations. In practice, the
application of these coalescent-based methods for parameter
estimation is difficult because they make strict assumptions
that must be verified a priori and their parameter-rich
nature makes the estimation of all model parameters very
complex and computationally intensive. A further complication
is their distribution as console applications that require
the user to navigate through console menus or specify
complex command-line arguments. To facilitate the implementation
of these coalescent-based tools we developed
SNAP Workbench, a Java program that manages and coordinates
a series of programs. The workbench enhances population
parameter estimation by ensuring that the assumptions
and program limitations of each method are met and by
providing a step-by-step methodology for examining population
processes that integrates both summary-statistic methods
and coalescent-based population genetic models.
Availability: SNAP Workbench is freely available at
http://snap.cifr.ncsu.edu. The workbench and tools can be
downloaded for Mac, Windows and Unix operating systems.
Each package includes installation instructions, program
documentation and a sample dataset.
Contact: ignazio_carbone@ncsu.edu
Supplementary information: A description of system
requirements and installation instructions can be found at
http://snap.cifr.ncsu.edu