multiPhATE

MultiPhATE is an automated high-throughput annotation pipeline designed to meet the growing need for efficient phage genome annotation. Named multiple-genome Phage Annotation Toolkit and Evaluator, this tool is adept at handling a user-specified set of phage genomes, streamlining the process of phage genome annotation across multiple datasets. At the core of multiPhATE is a de novo phage gene calling algorithm that identifies gene sequences within phage genomes. Following gene identification, it assigns putative functions to these gene calls by leveraging a comprehensive analysis against protein-, virus-, and phage-centric databases.

One of the pipeline's key features is its modular construction, which allows users to tailor the annotation process to their specific needs. This adaptability is achieved by allowing users to acquire local instances of the databases they wish to use and specifying which parts of the analysis they want to execute in a configuration file. Such customization ensures that multiPhATE can cater to many phage annotation projects, from small-scale studies to large, throughput sequencing efforts.

MultiPhATE's capacity to efficiently manage and process multiple genomes simultaneously is further enhanced by its ability to run on multiple processors. This scalability makes it particularly suitable for high-throughput sequencing projects, providing a significant processing speed and capacity advantage.