Graphic user interface based implementation of longest common subsequence problem in DNA sequencing

Abstract

One of the oldest problems in computational biology is biological sequences in which similar portion of two DNA sequence is searched. Global alignment is designed for the same and Longest Common Subsequence (LCS), one of the most basic algorithms in the field of computer science, provides the best solution global alignment irrespective of the shape of its input sequences. The Longest common Subsequence problem with a variable number of strings is variable and strictly more than 2 is known as Multiple Longest Common Subsequence problem (MLCS) and it is an NP-hard problem. Dynamic Programming Algorithm can be employed to solve the same within polynomial time provided the number of strings is known. In this work, using python GUI-library tkinter, the GUI has been built with the code of the LCS problem embedded within the GUI application. This would not only help to see how the strings are being matched inside the program but also the way the optimal solution is produced.