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README.md

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# BioAlign - DNA Sequence Alignment Tool
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BioAlign is a user-friendly tool for DNA sequence alignment and visualization. It uses Clustal Omega for alignment and creates nicely formatted Word documents with customizable sequence highlighting.
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## Features
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- Automatic DNA sequence alignment using Clustal Omega
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- Triplet notation formatting for better readability
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- Search and highlight specific DNA sequences in the alignment
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- Option for spaced or exact sequence matching
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- Different highlight colors for each sequence (optional)
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- Caching of alignment results for unchanged sequences
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## Installation
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No installation required! The release zip file contains everything you need:
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1. Unzip the file to any location on your computer
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2. Run `start.bat` to launch the application
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The package includes:
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- Embedded Python 3.13.2 runtime
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- Clustal Omega 1.2.2 executable
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- All required Python dependencies
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## Usage
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### Preparing Your Sequences
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Create or edit the `sequences.json` file in the application folder. This file should contain your DNA sequences in the following format:
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```json
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{
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"Sequence1": "ATGCCTGACCTAGTCGATCGATGCTA",
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"Sequence2": "ATGCGTGACCTAGTTGATCGATGCTA",
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"Sequence3": "ATGCCTGACCAAGTCGATCTATGCTA"
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}
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```
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Where:
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- Each key is the sequence name
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- Each value is the DNA sequence
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- You can add as many sequences as needed
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### Running the Application
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1. Double-click the `start.bat` file
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2. The program will:
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- Load your sequences from sequences.json
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- Perform sequence alignment (or use cached results if unchanged)
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- Prompt you for search options
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### Search Options
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When prompted:
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1. Enter a DNA sequence to search for (e.g., "CTG") or leave empty to disable highlighting
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2. Choose search mode:
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- `exact`: Matches only exact sequences without spaces
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- `spaced`: Matches sequences allowing for spaces between nucleotides
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3. Choose whether to use separate colors for each sequence (yes/no)
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### Output
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The program generates:
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- `sequences.fasta`: The input file for Clustal Omega
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- `sequences.aln`: The alignment result from Clustal Omega
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- `sequences.docx`: The final Word document with formatted alignment and highlighting
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## Example
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For the provided example sequences, searching for "CTG" with spaced mode enabled will highlight this pattern in all sequences, allowing you to easily compare variations.
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## Notes
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- The tool caches alignment results to avoid redundant calculations
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- The Word document uses Courier New font for consistent spacing
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- Highlighting uses yellow by default, or green/blue/pink when using separate colors
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## Requirements
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This package is self-contained and works on Windows systems without additional installations.
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## Acknowledgements
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- [Clustal Omega](http://www.clustal.org/omega/) for sequence alignment
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- [Biopython](https://biopython.org/) for biological sequence handling
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- [python-docx](https://python-docx.readthedocs.io/) for Word document generation

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