Bioinformatics Homework 0

for Biology students

Assigned: 4 September 2015   Due: 11 September 2015

Files required for this assignment are available through Dr. Garvey's Bioinformatics website.

1. There is a file named mystery_beck.py that contains one function named mystery. Save a copy of this file on your Y drive or your own computer, leaving off the "beck". Edit the file as follows. First, rename the function mystery to a reasonable, descriptive name. Then write documentation in comments that explains in simple English what the function does, how to use it, and what exactly it produces.
2. Write a Python program that correctly imports and uses the mystery function and prints out a meaningful result. Save the program in a file named part2.py.
3. (This is the big one.) Define a file called dna2rna.py that contains a function called dna2rna. This function should take a DNA sequence as input and return the corresponding reverse complement RNA sequence. To do this your function will need to:
   • reverse the string
   • transpose the nucleotides (A -> T, T -> A, G -> C, C-> G)
   • and replace T with U

4. Bring printouts of your mystery.py, part2.py and dna2rna.py files to class next Friday or email them to Prof. Garvey before class. Do not change any files except these. Make sure that your code is carefully documented to explain its behavior and make sure your name is recorded (as a comment) in each file you hand in.