WIT: integrated system for high-throughput genome sequence analysis and metabolic reconstruction

The WIT (What Is There) (http://wit.mcs.anl.gov/WIT2/) system has been desi gned to support comparative analysis of sequenced genomes and to generate m etabolic reconstructions based on chromosomal sequences and metabolic modul es from the EMP/MPW family of databases. This system contains data derived from about 40 completed or nearly completed genomes. Sequence homologies, v arious ORF-clustering algorithms, relative gene positions on the chromosome and placement of gene products in metabolic pathways (metabolic reconstruc tion) can be used for the assignment of gene functions and for development of overviews of genomes within WIT. The integration of a large number of ph ylogenetically diverse genomes in WIT facilitates the understanding of the physiology of different organisms.