clinker & clustermap.js: automatic generation of gene cluster comparison figures

A Summary: Genes involved in biological pathways are often collocalised in gene clusters, the comparison of which can give valuable insights into their function and evolutionary history. However, comparison and visualization of gene cluster similarity is a tedious process, particularly when many clusters are being compared. Here, we present clinker, a Python based tool and clustermap.js, a companion JavaScript visualization library, which used together can automatically generate accurate, interactive, publication-quality gene cluster comparison figures directly from sequence files.

Automated summary

Genes involved in biological pathways are often found in gene clusters, and comparing these clusters can provide valuable insights into their function and evolutionary history. To simplify the tedious process of comparing and visualizing gene cluster similarity, a Python tool called clinker and a companion JavaScript library called clustermap.js have been developed to automatically generate accurate, interactive, publication-quality gene cluster comparison figures from sequence files.