Bio::DB::GFF Aggregator
SummaryIncluded librariesPackage variablesSynopsisDescriptionGeneral documentationMethods
Summary
Bio::DB::GFF::Aggregator -- Aggregate GFF groups into composite features
Package variables
Privates (from "my" definitions)
$ALWAYS_TRUE = sub { 1 }
Included modules
Bio::DB::GFF::Feature
Bio::DB::GFF::Util::Rearrange
Inherit
Bio::Root::Root
Synopsis
 use Bio::DB::GFF;

 my $agg1 = Bio::DB::GFF::Aggregator->new(-method       => 'cistron',
                                          -main_method  => 'locus',
                                          -sub_parts    => ['allele','variant']
                                         );

 my $agg2 = Bio::DB::GFF::Aggregator->new(-method       => 'splice_group',
                                          -sub_parts    => 'transcript');

 my $db      = Bio::DB::GFF->new( -adaptor    => 'dbi:mysql',
			          -aggregator => [$agg1,$agg2],
                                  -dsn        => 'dbi:mysql:elegans42',
				 );
Description
Bio::DB::GFF::Aggregator is used to aggregate GFF groups into
composite features. Each composite feature has a "main part", the
top-level feature, and a series of zero or more subparts, retrieved
with the sub_SeqFeature() method. The aggregator class is designed to
be subclassable, allowing a variety of GFF feature types to be
supported.
The base Bio::DB::GFF::Aggregator class is generic, and can be used to
create specific instances to be passed to the -aggregator argument of
Bio::DB::GFF->new() call. The various subclasses of
Bio::DB::GFF::Aggregator are tuned for specific common feature types
such as clones, gapped alignments and transcripts.
Instances of Bio::DB::GFF::Aggregator have three attributes:
   method
   This is the GFF method field of the composite feature as a whole. For
example, "transcript" may be used for a composite feature created by
aggregating individual intron, exon and UTR features.
   main method
   Sometimes GFF groups are organized hierarchically, with one feature
logically containing another. For example, in the C. elegans schema,
methods of type "Sequence:curated" correspond to regions covered by
curated genes. There can be zero or one main methods.
   subparts
   This is a list of one or more methods that correspond to the component
features of the aggregates. For example, in the C. elegans database,
the subparts of transcript are "intron", "exon" and "CDS".
Aggregators have two main methods that can be overridden in
subclasses:
    disaggregate()
    This method is called by the Adaptor object prior to fetching a list
of features. The method is passed an associative array containing the
[method,source] pairs that the user has requested, and it returns a
list of raw features that it would like the adaptor to fetch.
    aggregate()
    This method is called by the Adaptor object after it has fetched
features. The method is passed a list of raw features and is expected
to add its composite features to the list.
The disaggregate() and aggregate() methods provided by the base
Aggregator class should be sufficient for many applications. In this
case, it suffices for subclasses to override the following methods:
    method()
    Return the default method for the composite feature as a whole.
    main_name()
    Return the default main method name.
    part_names()
    Return a list of subpart method names.
Provided that method() and part_names() are overridden (and optionally
main_name() as well), then the bare name of the aggregator subclass
can be passed to the -aggregator of Bio::DB::GFF->new(). For example,
this is a small subclass that will aggregate features of type "allele"
and "polymorphism" into an aggregate named "mutant":
  package Bio::DB::GFF::Aggregator::mutant;

  use strict;
  use Bio::DB::GFF::Aggregator;

  use vars '@ISA';
  @ISA = 'Bio::DB::GFF::Aggregator';

  sub method { 'mutant' }

  sub part_names {
    return qw(allele polymorphism);
  }

  1;
Once installed, this aggregator can be passed to Bio::DB::GFF->new()
by name like so:
 my $db      = Bio::DB::GFF->new( -adaptor    => 'dbi:mysql',
			          -aggregator => 'mutant',
                                  -dsn        => 'dbi:mysql:elegans42',
				 );
Methods
newDescriptionCode
disaggregateDescriptionCode
aggregateDescriptionCode
methodDescriptionCode
main_nameDescriptionCode
part_namesDescriptionCode
require_whole_objectDescriptionCode
match_subDescriptionCode
passthru_sub
No description
Code
componentsDescriptionCode
component_count
No description
Code
passthru
No description
Code
clone
No description
Code
get_part_namesDescriptionCode
get_main_nameDescriptionCode
get_methodDescriptionCode
Methods description
newcode    nextTop
 Title   : new
 Usage   : $a = Bio::DB::GFF::Aggregator->new(@args)
 Function: create a new aggregator
 Returns : a Bio::DB::GFF::Aggregator object
 Args    : see below
 Status  : Public
This is the constructor for Bio::DB::GFF::Aggregator. Named arguments
are as follows:
  -method           the method for the composite feature

  -main_method      the top-level raw feature, if any

  -sub_parts        the list of raw features that will form the subparts
		    of the composite feature (array reference or scalar)
disaggregatecodeprevnextTop
 Title   : disaggregate
 Usage   : $a->disaggregate($types,$factory)
 Function: disaggregate type list into components
 Returns : a true value if this aggregator should be called to reaggregate
 Args    : see below
 Status  : Public
This method is called to disaggregate a list of types into the set of
low-level features to be retrieved from the GFF database. The list of
types is passed as an array reference containing a series of
[method,source] pairs. This method synthesizes a new set of
[method,source] pairs, and appends them to the list of requested
types, changing the list in situ.
Arguments:
  $types           reference to an array of [method,source] pairs

  $factory         reference to the Adaptor object that is calling
		   this method
Note that the API allows disaggregate() to remove types from the type
list. This feature is probably not desirable and may be deprecated in
the future.
aggregatecodeprevnextTop
 Title   : aggregate
 Usage   : $features = $a->aggregate($features,$factory)
 Function: aggregate a feature list into composite features
 Returns : an array reference containing modified features
 Args    : see below
 Status  : Public
This method is called to aggregate a list of raw GFF features into the
set of composite features. The method is called an array reference to
a set of Bio::DB::GFF::Feature objects. It runs through the list,
creating new composite features when appropriate. The method result
is an array reference containing the composite features.
Arguments:
  $features        reference to an array of Bio::DB::GFF::Feature objects

  $factory         reference to the Adaptor object that is calling
		   this method
NOTE: The reason that the function result contains the raw features as
well as the aggregated ones is to allow queries like this one:
  @features =  $segment->features('exon','transcript:curated');
Assuming that "transcript" is the name of an aggregated feature and
that "exon" is one of its components, we do not want the transcript
aggregator to remove features of type "exon" because the user asked
for them explicitly.
methodcodeprevnextTop
 Title   : method
 Usage   : $string = $a->method
 Function: get the method type for the composite feature
 Returns : a string
 Args    : none
 Status  : Protected
This method is called to get the method to be assigned to the
composite feature once it is aggregated. It is called if the user did
not explicitly supply a -method argument when the aggregator was
created.
This is the method that should be overridden in aggregator subclasses.
main_namecodeprevnextTop
 Title   : main_name
 Usage   : $string = $a->main_name
 Function: get the method type for the "main" component of the feature
 Returns : a string
 Args    : none
 Status  : Protected
This method is called to get the method of the "main component" of the
composite feature. It is called if the user did not explicitly supply
a -main-method argument when the aggregator was created.
This is the method that should be overridden in aggregator subclasses.
part_namescodeprevnextTop
 Title   : part_names
 Usage   : @methods = $a->part_names
 Function: get the methods for the non-main various components of the feature
 Returns : a list of strings
 Args    : none
 Status  : Protected
This method is called to get the list of methods of the "main component" of the
composite feature. It is called if the user did not explicitly supply
a -main-method argument when the aggregator was created.
This is the method that should be overridden in aggregator subclasses.
require_whole_objectcodeprevnextTop
 Title   : require_whole_object
 Usage   : $bool = $a->require_whole_object
 Function: see below
 Returns : a boolean flag
 Args    : none
 Status  : Internal
This method returns true if the aggregator should refuse to aggregate
an object unless both its main part and its subparts are present.
match_subcodeprevnextTop
 Title   : match_sub
 Usage   : $coderef = $a->match_sub($factory)
 Function: generate a code reference that will match desired features
 Returns : a code reference
 Args    : see below
 Status  : Internal
This method is used internally to generate a code sub that will
quickly filter out the raw features that we're interested in
aggregating. The returned sub accepts a Feature and returns true if
we should aggregate it, false otherwise.
componentscodeprevnextTop
 Title   : components
 Usage   : @array= $a->components([$components])
 Function: get/set stored list of parsed raw feature types
 Returns : an array in list context, an array ref in scalar context
 Args    : new arrayref of feature types
 Status  : Internal
This method is used internally to remember the parsed list of raw
features that we will aggregate. The need for this subroutine is
seen when a user requests a composite feature of type
"clone:cosmid". This generates a list of components in which the
source is appended to the method, like "clone_left_end:cosmid" and
"clone_right_end:cosmid". components() stores this information for
later use.
get_part_namescodeprevnextTop
 Title   : get_part_names
 Usage   : @array = $a->get_part_names
 Function: get list of sub-parts for this type of feature
 Returns : an array
 Args    : none
 Status  : Internal
This method is used internally to fetch the list of feature types that
form the components of the composite feature. Type names in the
format "method:source" are recognized, as are "method" and
Bio::DB::GFF::Typename objects as well. It checks instance variables
first, and if not defined calls the part_names() method.
get_main_namecodeprevnextTop
 Title   : get_main_name
 Usage   : $string = $a->get_main_name
 Function: get the "main" method type for this feature
 Returns : a string
 Args    : none
 Status  : Internal
This method is used internally to fetch the type of the "main part" of
the feature. It checks instance variables first, and if not defined
calls the main_name() method.
get_methodcodeprevnextTop
 Title   : get_method
 Usage   : $string = $a->get_method
 Function: get the method type for the composite feature
 Returns : a string
 Args    : none
 Status  : Internal
This method is used internally to fetch the type of the method that
will be assigned to the composite feature once it is synthesized.
Methods code
newdescriptionprevnextTop
sub new {
  my $class = shift;
  my ($method,$main,$sub_parts) = rearrange(['METHOD',
					     ['MAIN_PART','MAIN_METHOD'],
					     ['SUB_METHODS','SUB_PARTS']
					    ],@_);
  return bless {
		method      => $method,
		main_method => $main,
		sub_parts   => $sub_parts,
	       },$class;
}
disaggregatedescriptionprevnextTop
sub disaggregate {
  my $self  = shift;
  my $types = shift;
  my $factory = shift;

  my $sub_features = $factory->parse_types($self->get_part_names);
  my $main_feature = $factory->parse_types($self->get_main_name);

  if (@$types) {
    my (@synthetic_types,@unchanged);
    foreach (@$types) {
      my ($method,$source) = @$_;
      if (lc $method eq lc $self->get_method) { # e.g. "transcript"
	push @synthetic_types,map { [$_->[0],$_->[1] || $source] } @$sub_features,@$main_feature;
      }
      else {
	push @unchanged,$_;
      }
    }
    # remember what we're searching for
    $self->components(\@synthetic_types);
    $self->passthru(\@unchanged);
    @$types = (@unchanged,@synthetic_types);
  }

  # we get here when no search types are listed
  else {
    my @stypes = map { [$_->[0],$_->[1]] }  @$sub_features,@$main_feature;
    $self->components(\@stypes);
    $self->passthru(undef);
  }

  return $self->component_count > 0;
}
aggregatedescriptionprevnextTop
sub aggregate {
  my $self = shift;
  my $features = shift;
  my $factory  = shift;

  my $main_method = $self->get_main_name;
  my $matchsub    = $self->match_sub($factory) or return;
  my $passthru    = $self->passthru_sub($factory);

  my (%aggregates,@result);
  for my $feature (@$features) {
    if ($feature->group && $matchsub->($feature)) {
      if ($main_method && lc $feature->method eq lc $main_method) {
	$aggregates{$feature->group,$feature->refseq}{base} ||= $feature->clone;
      } else {
	push @{$aggregates{$feature->group,$feature->refseq}{subparts}},$feature;
      }
      push @result,$feature if $passthru && $passthru->($feature);

    } else {
      push @result,$feature;
    }
  }

  # aggregate components
  my $pseudo_method        = $self->get_method;
  my $require_whole_object = $self->require_whole_object;
  foreach (keys %aggregates) {
    if ($require_whole_object && $self->components) {
      next unless $aggregates{$_}{base}; # && $aggregates{$_}{subparts};
    }
    my $base = $aggregates{$_}{base};
    unless ($base) { # no base, so create one
      my $first = $aggregates{$_}{subparts}[0];
      $base = $first->clone;     # to inherit parent coordinate system, etc
      $base->score(undef);
      $base->phase(undef);
    }
    $base->method($pseudo_method);
    $base->add_subfeature($_) foreach @{$aggregates{$_}{subparts}};
    $base->adjust_bounds;
    $base->compound(1);  # set the compound flag
    push @result,$base;
  }
  @$features = @result;
}
methoddescriptionprevnextTop
sub method {
  my $self = shift;
  return;
}
main_namedescriptionprevnextTop
sub main_name {
  my $self = shift;
  return;
}
part_namesdescriptionprevnextTop
sub part_names {
  my $self = shift;
  return;
}
require_whole_objectdescriptionprevnextTop
sub require_whole_object {
  0;
}
match_subdescriptionprevnextTop
sub match_sub {
  my $self    = shift;
  my $factory = shift;
  my $types_to_aggregate = $self->components() or return;  # saved from disaggregate call
  return unless @$types_to_aggregate;
  return $factory->make_match_sub($types_to_aggregate);
}
passthru_subdescriptionprevnextTop
sub passthru_sub {
  my $self    = shift;
  my $factory = shift;
  my $passthru = $self->passthru() or return;
  return unless @$passthru;
  return $factory->make_match_sub($passthru);
}
componentsdescriptionprevnextTop
sub components {
  my $self = shift;
  my $d = $self->{components};
  $self->{components} = shift if @_;
  return unless ref $d;
  return wantarray ? @$d : $d;
}
component_countdescriptionprevnextTop
sub component_count {
  my @c = shift->components;
  scalar @c;
}
passthrudescriptionprevnextTop
sub passthru {
  my $self = shift;
  my $d = $self->{passthru};
  $self->{passthru} = shift if @_;
  return unless ref $d;
  return wantarray ? @$d : $d;
}
clonedescriptionprevnextTop
sub clone {
  my $self = shift;
  my %new = %{$self};
  return bless\% new,ref($self);
}
get_part_namesdescriptionprevnextTop
sub get_part_names {
  my $self = shift;
  if ($self->{sub_parts}) {
    return ref $self->{sub_parts} ? @{$self->{sub_parts}} : $self->{sub_parts};
  } else {
    return $self->part_names;
  }
}
get_main_namedescriptionprevnextTop
sub get_main_name {
  my $self = shift;
  return $self->{main_method} if defined $self->{main_method};
  return $self->main_name;
}
get_methoddescriptionprevnextTop
sub get_method {
  my $self = shift;
  return $self->{method} if defined $self->{method};
  return $self->method;
}
General documentation
APITop
The remainder of this document describes the public and private
methods implemented by this module.
BUGSTop
None known yet.
SEE ALSOTop
Bio::DB::GFF,
Bio::DB::GFF::Aggregator::alignment,
Bio::DB::GFF::Aggregator::clone,
Bio::DB::GFF::Aggregator::coding,
Bio::DB::GFF::Aggregator::match,
Bio::DB::GFF::Aggregator::processed_transcript,
Bio::DB::GFF::Aggregator::transcript,
Bio::DB::GFF::Aggregator::none
AUTHORTop
Lincoln Stein <lstein@cshl.org>.
Copyright (c) 2001 Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory.
This library is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
it under the same terms as Perl itself.