GelScape and GelBank

GelScape and GelBank provide computational analysis, annotation, comparison, manipulation, and standardized archiving of 1D and 2D protein gel images to support quantitative proteomics.

Key Features:

• Interactive annotation: Annotation of protein spots on gel images for association of metadata with image locations.
• Spot integration and measurement: Precise measurement of spot intensities for quantitative proteomic analysis.
• Image manipulation: Image processing functions including warping, resizing, HTML image mapping, and overlaying of images.
• Gel comparison: Comparison of gel images using image overlay and warping to align and contrast spots across gels.
• Platform-independent remote handling: Java applet-servlet architecture for rapid, remote image handling independent of operating system.
• Standards-compliant storage: Storage of gel image data and annotations according to Federated Gel Database requirements.
• Repository integration: Integration with GelBank as a searchable public archive of gel images and associated annotations.
• Support for 1D and 2D gels: Explicit handling of both one-dimensional (1D) and two-dimensional (2D) protein gel images.

Scientific Applications:

• Quantitative proteomics: Measurement of protein spot intensities from 1D and 2D gels for quantitative comparison.
• Comparative proteomics: Alignment and overlay of gels to compare protein expression patterns across samples.
• Gel image correction and visualization: Use of warping and resizing to correct distortions and improve gel interpretation.
• Data archiving and interoperability: Standardized storage and searchable archival in GelBank to support comparative studies and data sharing under Federated Gel Database standards.

Methodology:

Implements a Java applet-servlet architecture for remote image handling and performs interactive annotation, spot intensity measurement, image warping, resizing, HTML image mapping, overlaying, and storage of image data and annotations according to Federated Gel Database standards with integration into GelBank.