bigwig_to_bedgraph

bigwig_to_bedgraph converts BigWig files to BedGraph format to enable analysis and visualization of continuous-valued genomic signals from high-throughput sequencing experiments.

Key Features:

• Format Conversion: Translates BigWig binary data, which encodes dense continuous genomic signals such as coverage tracks or signal intensities, into text-based BedGraph entries of genomic coordinates and values.
• Galaxy Integration: Operates within the Galaxy platform to permit incorporation into Galaxy workflows for computational genomic analyses.
• Execution Environment: Runs as part of the Galaxy@Pasteur instance and can leverage Institut Pasteur cluster computational resources.

Scientific Applications:

• Genomic Data Analysis: Enables use of BedGraph-accepting bioinformatics tools and downstream analyses on continuous genomic signal data.
• Visualization: Produces BedGraph files compatible with genome browsers and other visualization tools for inspecting continuous-valued signals across genomic regions.

Methodology:

The tool reads the binary BigWig format, which encodes variable-length blocks of genomic intervals with associated values, and writes a tab-delimited BedGraph file where each line represents a genomic interval and its corresponding value.