DNAPlotter Tutorial: From Sequence to Annotated Map

DNAPlotter: Visualize Your Genome Maps in Seconds

DNAPlotter is a desktop application (part of the Artemis suite) for creating clear, publication-ready circular and linear maps of DNA sequences such as plasmids, bacterial chromosomes, or synthetic constructs.

Key features

• Circular and linear layouts — switch between plasmid-style circles and linear chromosome views.
• Annotaton display — show genes, CDS, promoters, restriction sites, and other features from standard sequence files (GenBank, EMBL).
• Customizable styling — colors, feature labels, font sizes, track order, and ring widths for presentation-quality diagrams.
• Import/export — read common sequence formats and export high-resolution images (PNG, SVG) suitable for figures.
• Interactive editing — drag tracks, toggle feature visibility, and edit annotations before exporting.
• Integration — part of the Artemis family, compatible with other sequence tools for annotation and analysis.

Typical workflow (quick)

1. Open your sequence file (GenBank/EMBL/FASTA with annotations).
2. Choose circular or linear view.
3. Configure tracks: select feature types, colors, label settings, and track order.
4. Zoom and pan to adjust layout; edit labels or feature positions if needed.
5. Export image in desired format and resolution.

When to use DNAPlotter

• Preparing plasmid maps for methods sections, lab records, or publications.
• Visualizing annotated bacterial genomes or synthetic constructs.
• Quickly generating clear diagrams for presentations or posters.

Limitations

• Desktop-only (no native web app); may require Java and the Artemis environment.
• Not intended for real-time collaborative editing.
• Feature-rich tools may have a learning curve for complex custom layouts.

If you want, I can:

• give step-by-step instructions for a specific file type (GenBank or EMBL),
• provide example settings for publication-quality SVG export, or
• draft a short caption to accompany a figure made with DNAPlotter.