MuWU

MuWU detects transposable element insertion sites from Mutant-seq reads and assigns insertions to seed stocks to support sequence-indexed mutagenesis and functional genomics studies.

Key Features:

• Automated Workflow: Automated Snakemake pipeline for reproducible downstream processing of Mutant-seq reads.
• Identification of Insertion Sites: Detects insertion sites of transposable elements, including Mutator insertions from the BonnMu resource in maize (Zea mays).
• Gene Tagging and Mutation Differentiation: Tags genes affected by insertions and distinguishes between germinal and somatic mutations/insertions.
• Assignment of Insertions to Seed Stocks: Assigns identified insertions to the corresponding mutated seed stocks to support reverse genetics and mutant resource curation.

Scientific Applications:

• Functional Genomics: Creation and analysis of sequence-indexed mutant resources for gene function studies.
• Loss-of-Function Mutation Discovery and Validation: Rapid acquisition and validation of loss-of-function mutations to test genotype–phenotype hypotheses in model organisms.
• Cross-Species Insertional Mutagenesis: Adaptable application to diverse species and transposable elements beyond maize.

Methodology:

An automated Snakemake pipeline processes Mutant-seq reads with configurable parameters for different genomic contexts.