NAME

get_binned_data.pl

A program to collect data in bins across a list of features.

SYNOPSIS

get_binned_data.pl [--options] <filename>
 
 Options for existing files:
 --in <filename>                  (txt bed gff gtf refFlat ucsc)
 
 Options for new files:
 --db <name | filename>
 --feature <type | type:source | alias>, ...
 
 Options for data collection:
 --ddb <name | filename>
 --data <dataset_name | filename>
 --method [mean|median|stddev|min|max|range|sum|          (mean)
           count|pcount|ncount]
 --strand [all|sense|antisense]                            (all)
 --force_strand
 --subfeature [exon|cds|5p_utr|3p_utr]
 --long
 
 Bin specification:
 --bins <integer>                                          (10)
 --ext <integer>                                           (0)
 --extsize <integer>
 --min <integer>
 
 Post-processing:
 --sum
 --smooth
 
 General options:
 --out <filename>
 --gz
 --cpu <integer>                                           (2)
 --version
 --help                              show extended documentation

OPTIONS

The command line flags and descriptions:

--in <filename>

Specify an input file containing either a list of database features or genomic coordinates for which to collect data. Any tab-delimited text file with recognizable headers is supported. Gene annotation file formats are also supported, including bed, gtf, gff3, refFlat, and UCSC native formats such as gene prediction tables are all supported. Gene annotation files will be parsed as sequence features. Files may be gzipped compressed.

--db <name | filename>

Specify the name of a Bio::DB::SeqFeature::Store annotation database from which gene or feature annotation may be derived. A database is required for generating new data files with features. This option may skipped when using coordinate information from an input file (e.g. BED file), or when using an existing input file with the database indicated in the metadata. For more information about using annotation databases, see https://code.google.com/p/biotoolbox/wiki/WorkingWithDatabases.

--feature <type | type:source | alias>,...

Specify the type of feature from which to collect values. This is required only for new feature tables. Three types of values may be passed: the feature type, feature type and source expressed as 'type:source', or an alias to one or more feature types. Aliases are specified in the biotoolbox.cfg file and provide a shortcut to a list of one or more database features. More than one feature may be included as a comma-delimited list (no spaces).

--ddb <name | filename>

If the data to be collected is from a second database that is separate from the annotation database, provide the name of the data database here. Typically, a second Bio::DB::SeqFeature::Store or BigWigSet database is provided here.

--data <dataset_name | filename>

Provide the name of the dataset to collect the values. If no dataset is specified on the command line, then the program will interactively present a list of datasets from the database to select.

The dataset may be a feature type in a BioPerl Bio::DB::SeqFeature::Store or Bio::DB::BigWigSet database. Provide either the feature type or type:source. The feature may point to another data file whose path is stored in the feature's attribute tag (for example a binary Bio::Graphics::Wiggle .wib file, a bigWig file, or Bam file), or the features' scores may be used in data collection.

Alternatively, the dataset may be a database file, including bigWig (.bw), bigBed (.bb), or Bam alignment (.bam) files. The files may be local or remote (specified with a http: or ftp: prefix).

--method <text>

Specify the method for combining all of the dataset values within the genomic region of the feature. Accepted values include:

  • mean (default)

  • median

  • sum

  • stddev Standard deviation of the population (within the region)

  • min

  • max

  • range Returns difference of max and min

  • count

    Counts the number of overlapping items.

  • pcount (precise count)

    Counts the number of items that precisely fall within the query region. Partially overlapping are not counted.

  • ncount (name count)

    Counts unique names. Useful when spliced alignments overlap more than one exon and you want to avoid double-counting.

--strand [all|sense|antisense]

Specify whether stranded data should be collected. Three values are allowed: all datasets should be collected (default), only sense datasets, or only antisense datasets should be collected.

--force_strand

For features that are not inherently stranded (strand value of 0) or that you want to impose a different strand, set this option when collecting stranded data. This will reassign the specified strand for each feature regardless of its original orientation. This requires the presence of a "strand" column in the input data file. This option only works with input file lists of database features, not defined genomic regions (e.g. BED files). Default is false.

--subfeature [ exon | cds | 5p_utr | 3p_utr ]

Optionally specify the type of subfeature to collect from, rather than the entire gene. If the parent feature is gene and the subfeature is exon, then all transcripts of the gene will be collapsed. The other subfeatures (cds, 5p_utr, and 3p_utr) will not work with gene features but only with coding mRNA transcripts. Note that the options extend, start, stop, fstart, and fstop are ignored. Default is null.

--exons

Legacy option for specifying --subfeature exon.

--long

Indicate that the dataset from which scores are collected are long features (counting genomic annotation for example) and not point data (microarray data or sequence coverage). Normally long features are only recorded at their midpoint, leading to inaccurate representation at some windows. This option forces the program to collect data separately at each window, rather than once for each file feature or region and subsequently assigning scores to windows. Execution times may be longer than otherwise. Default is false.

--bins <integer>

Specify the number of bins that will be generated over the length of the feature. The size of the feature is a percentage of the feature length. The default number is 10, which results in bins of size equal to 10% of the feature length.

--ext <integer>

Specify the number of extended bins on either side of the feature. The bins are of the same size as determined by the feature length and the --bins value. The default is 0.

--extsize <integer>

Specify the exact bin size in bp of the extended bins rather than using a percentage of feature of length.

--min <integer>

Specify the minimum feature size to be averaged. Features with a length below this value will not be skipped (all bins will have null values). This is to avoid having bin sizes below the average microarray tiling distance. The default is undefined (no limit).

--sum

Indicate that the data should be averaged across all features at each position, suitable for graphing. A separate text file will be written with the suffix '_summed' with the averaged data. The default is false.

--smooth

Indicate that windows without values should (not) be interpolated from neighboring values. The default is false.

--out <filename>

Specify the output file name.

--gz

Specify whether (or not) the output file should be compressed with gzip.

--cpu <integer>

Specify the number of CPU cores to execute in parallel. This requires the installation of Parallel::ForkManager. With support enabled, the default is 2. Disable multi-threaded execution by setting to 1.

--version

Print the version number.

--help

This help text.

DESCRIPTION

This program will collect data across a gene or feature body into numerous percentile bins. It is used to determine if there is a spatial distribution preference for the dataset over gene bodies. The number of bins may be specified as a command argument (default 10). Additionally, extra bins may be extended on either side of the gene (default 0 on either side). The bin size is determined as a percentage of gene length.

EXAMPLES

These are some examples of some common scenarios for collecting data.

Collect scores in intervals

You want to collect the mean score from a bigWig file in 10% intervals across each feature in a Bed file.

get_binned_data.pl --data scores.bw --in input.bed
Collect scores in intervals plus extended regions

You want to collect the maximum score in 5% intervals across each each feature as well as five 100 bp intervals outside of each interval.

get_binned_data.pl --bins 20 --method max --ext 5 --extsize 100 --data \
scores.bw --in input.txt
Collect scores in intervals for genes

You want to collect stranded alignment counts from a Bam file for genes in an annotation database.

get_binned_data.pl --db annotation --feature gene --strand sense \
--method count --data alignments.bam --out gene_profile --sum

AUTHOR

Timothy J. Parnell, PhD
Howard Hughes Medical Institute
Dept of Oncological Sciences
Huntsman Cancer Institute
University of Utah
Salt Lake City, UT, 84112

This package is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the terms of the Artistic License 2.0.