sixframe

Sixframe, in bioinformatics, refers to the six-frame translation of a nucleotide sequence. Because DNA is double-stranded and each strand can be read in three possible reading frames, there are three frames on the forward strand and three on the reverse complement, yielding six potential protein sequences. Translating all six frames produces six amino acid sequences that can be examined for coding potential without prior knowledge of the correct frame.

The primary purpose of sixframe translation is to identify potential protein-coding regions, or open reading frames (ORFs). In practice, translation proceeds until stop codons are encountered in each frame. Long ORFs are of particular interest as candidate genes, though they require further validation with biological evidence. Output typically includes the six translated sequences, along with annotations such as the coordinates of long ORFs, frame numbers, and sometimes an indication of the longest ORFs per frame.

Sixframe translation is used in gene discovery, genome annotation pipelines, and exploratory analysis of unannotated DNA sequences or synthetic constructs. It helps researchers generate hypotheses about possible proteins and reading frames before more targeted analyses are performed.

Implementations of sixframe translation appear in many bioinformatics toolkits and platforms, including standalone programs and library modules in environments like EMBOSS, Biopython, and Galaxy workflows. While useful for uncovering candidate ORFs, sixframe translation does not by itself confirm gene structures or expression; it provides a starting point for downstream analyses such as homology searches, motif detection, and experimental validation.