Promoter sequences and algorithmical methods for identifying them

This paper presents a survey of currently available mathematical models and algorithmical methods for trying to identify promoter sequences. The metho ds concern both searching in a genome for a previously defined consensus an d extracting a consensus from a set of sequences. Such methods were often t ailored for either eukaryotes or prokaryotes although this does not preclud e use of the same method for both types of organisms. The survey therefore covers all methods; however, emphasis is placed on prokaryotic promoter seq uence identification. Illustrative applications of the main extracting algo rithms are given for three bacteria. (C) 1999 Editions scientifiques et med icales Elsevier SAS.