RepeatMasker Track Settings
 
Repeating Elements by RepeatMasker   (All Variation and Repeats tracks)

Display mode:      Duplicate track
Data schema/format description and download
Assembly: C. elegans Feb. 2013 (WBcel235/ce11)
Data last updated at UCSC: 2015-06-10

Description

This track was created by using Arian Smit's RepeatMasker program which screens DNA sequences for interspersed repeats and low complexity DNA sequences. The program outputs a detailed annotation of the repeats that are present in the query sequence (represented by this track) as well as a modified version of the query sequence in which all the annotated repeats have been masked (generally available on the Downloads page). RepeatMasker uses the Repbase Update library of repeats from the Genetic Information Research Institute (GIRI). Repbase Update is described in Jurka, J. (2000) in the References section below.

Display Conventions and Configuration

In full display mode, this track displays up to ten different classes of repeats:

  • Short interspersed nuclear elements (SINE), which include ALUs
  • Long interspersed nuclear elements (LINE)
  • Long terminal repeat elements (LTR) which include retroposons
  • DNA repeat elements (DNA)
  • Simple repeats (micro-satellites)
  • Low complexity repeats
  • Satellite repeats
  • RNA repeats (including RNA, tRNA, rRNA, snRNA, scRNA)
  • Other repeats which includes class RC (Rolling Circle)
  • Unknown

The level of color shading in the graphical display reflects the amount of base mismatch, base deletion, and base insertion associated with a repeat element. The higher the combined number of these, the lighter the shading.

Methods

UCSC has used the most current versions of the RepeatMasker software and repeat libraries available to generate these data. Note that these versions may be newer than those that are publicly available on the Internet.

Data are generated using the RepeatMasker -s flag. Additional flags may be used for certain organisms. Repeats are soft-masked. Alignments may extend through repeats, but are not permitted to initiate in them. See the FAQ for more information.

Credits

Thanks to Arian Smit, Robert Hubley and GIRI for providing the tools and repeat libraries used to generate this track.

References

Repbase Update is described in Jurka J. Repbase update: a database and an electronic journal of repetitive elements. Trends Genet. 2000 Sep;16(9):418-420.