LOLAweb

LOLAweb performs enrichment analysis of genomic locus overlaps to connect user-provided genomic ranges with curated region-set databases for functional interpretation of regulatory DNA.

Key Features:

• R Shiny implementation: Provides result visualization and exploration implemented as an R Shiny application.
• Genomic-range input: Accepts user-defined sets of genomic ranges for testing against reference region sets.
• Curated region-set database: Tests query ranges against a comprehensive, curated database of region sets.
• Containerized deployment: Built and deployable within a Linux container environment to support scalable computational deployment.

Scientific Applications:

• Regulatory DNA analysis: Tests for significant overlaps to investigate functions of regulatory DNA.
• Annotation integration: Connects novel genomic datasets with existing annotations by identifying enriched overlaps with reference region sets.
• Mechanistic and evolutionary studies: Supports identification of candidate regulatory elements relevant to gene regulation, disease mechanisms, and evolutionary biology.

Methodology:

Performs statistical testing of enrichment for overlaps between user-provided genomic ranges and a curated database of region sets; implements result visualization and exploration via an R Shiny application and is deployable within a Linux container environment.