Application of phylogenetic algorithms to assess Rab functional relationships.

Researchers looking to solve biological problems have access to enormous amounts of sequence information and the desktop computational infrastructure to personally interrogate and analyze large datasets. Many powerful bioinformatics tools are available online; however, this discourages the customized analysis of data that is necessary for the experimental scientist to make maximally effective use of the information. In addition, a customized environment facilitates the critical evaluation of bioinformatic methods. This chapter presents a protocol developed to aid in classification of subfamilies and subclasses of a superfamily using the personal desktop computer. The visual representation of the qualitative and quantitative results of data analyses is also considered. The examples are focused on Rab GTPases but are more widely applicable to the classification of any given protein family.