dnaMATE: a consensus melting temperature prediction server for short DNA sequences

An accurate and robust large-scale melting temperature prediction server for short DNA sequences is dispatched. The server calculates a consensus melting temperature value using the nearest-neighbor model based on three independent thermodynamic data tables. The consensus method gives an accurate prediction of melting temperature, as it has been recently demonstrated in a benchmark performed using all available experimental data for DNA sequences within the length range of 16-30 nt. This constitutes the first web server that has been implemented to perform a large-scale calculation of melting temperatures in real time (up to 5000 DNA sequences can be submitted in a single run). The expected accuracy of calculations carried out by this server in the range of 50-600 mM monovalent salt concentration is that 89% of the melting temperature predictions will have an error or deviation of <5 degrees C from experimental data. The server can be freely accessed at http://dna.bio.puc.cl/tm.html. The standalone executable versions of this software for LINUX, Macintosh and Windows platforms are also freely available at the same web site. Detailed further information supporting this server is available at the same web site referenced above.