Microsatellite Extraction:

There are two options in the drop down menu of the Database.

1. Batch download
2. Query based access

Batch download: CSV files of microsatellite list, microsatellites sequences, compound microsatellites and microsatellite families. These files can be opened using spread sheet programs like Microsoft excel.
Query based access: The options include insect (one at a time), location (intron,exon,intron-exon boundary,upstream, intergenic and repetitive elements-single or in combination), repeat type (motif size: mono- to hexa-nucleotide) or actual repeat motif (by essentially typing up to five repeat motifs), GC% (fixed value or range), repeat size in either basepairs or number of units (fixed value or range), repeat kind (perfect or imperfect). Once an insect is selected rest of the fields are set at 'All' by default.
The output format: The output will be a hierarchically pre-sorted table containing microsatellite ID, genomic sequence ID, location, unit size, GC Percentage, repeat kind, start and end indices of microsatellites, number of units, length in base pairs, repeat motif, family ID (if microsatellite belongs to a family), left flank sequence (100 bp), microsatellite sequence and right flank sequence (100bp). By clicking on the family ID, annotated list of the members of the family will be loaded.
If the number of microsatellites selected based on the options of the query sheet exceeds 500, the output is split into sets of 500 microsatellites. In additon, a csv file containing total output is also made available for downloading.
If the query options do not select any microsatellite, a message indicating zero output is announced and a back button is provided to refine the options.
Primer Design: Users can select individual microsatellites to convert them into locus specific markers. This is facilitated by automatic uploading of the repeat and flanking sequences of the selected microsatellite into Primer3 query form.