Next-generation bioinformatics: An ultrafast and user-friendly tool for phylogenomic data exploration

Abstract

With increasingly large genomic datasets, even routine bioinformatic tasks can be arduous, computationally demanding, and time-consuming. Additionally, most bioinformatic programs do not have a graphical user interface (GUI) and thus, require users to be minimally competent in command-line. These impediments present significant economic and technological barriers for practitioners who do not have access to advanced computational resources and support. In this issue of Molecular Ecology Resources, Handika and Esselstyn (2024) developed an ultrafast and memory-efficient bioinformatic tool, SEGUL, that performs common manipulations and calculations of summary statistics on phylogenomic datasets. SEGUL has two main features that distinguish it from other bioinformatic programs: (1) it is based on the recently emergent, high-performance programming language Rust, and (2) it has a GUI written using Flutter, a cross-platform programming framework that also supports mobile operating systems (mobile iOS, iPadOS and Android). By leveraging and combining the power of Rust and Flutter, SEGUL achieves significantly faster computation times and lower memory usage across different platforms and CPU architectures compared to similar programs. The unique and innovative features of SEGUL pave the way for a new era of bioinformatics that can be more energy-efficient, inclusive, and available to a broader swathe of users.