bedGraphToBigWig

bedGraphToBigWig converts bedGraph-formatted coverage data into indexed bigWig files for efficient visualization and analysis of next-generation sequencing experiments in the UCSC Genome Browser.

Key Features:

• Data Compression and Indexing: bigWig files use compressed binary indexing with strategies such as R trees to reduce file size and enable retrieval of only the data segments required for a given genome browser view.
• Multi-layered Software Architecture: A multi-layered architecture integrates web-based protocols with Linux and UNIX file handling to support remote access and integration with genomic data workflows.
• Multi-resolution Data Handling: Support for multiple resolutions enables efficient representation and visualization of diverse next-generation sequencing coverage datasets.

Scientific Applications:

• Genome-wide visualization: Conversion to bigWig supports high-performance display of coverage tracks in genome browsers such as the UCSC Genome Browser for large-scale datasets.
• Genomic feature inspection: Facilitates inspection of genomic features such as gene expression levels and chromatin accessibility derived from sequencing experiments.

Methodology:

The utility is implemented in the C programming language and compiled for Linux platforms.