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Motivation: Image analysis is a major part of data evaluation for array hybridization experiments in molecular biology. The program presented here is designed to analyze automatically images from hybridization experiments with various arrangements: different kinds of probes (oligonucleotides or complex probes), different supports (nylon filters or glass slides), different labeling of probes (radioactively or fluorescently). The program is currently applied to oligonucleotide fingerprinting projects and complex hybridizations. The only precondition for the use of the program is that the targets are arrayed in a grid, which can be approximately transformed to an orthogonal equidistant grid by a projective mapping. Results: We demonstrate that our program can cope with the following problems: global distortion of the grid, missing of grid nodes, local deviation of the spot from its specified grid position. This is checked by different quality measures. The image analysis of oligonucleotide fingerprint experiments on an entire genetic library is used, in clustering procedures, to group related clones together. The results show that the program yields automatically generated high quality input data for follow up analysis such as clustering procedures. Availability: The executable files will be available upon request for academics. Contact: steinfat@molgen.mpg.de * To whom correspondence should be addressed.

he term ecosystem services refers to the many conditions and processes associated with natural ecosystems that confer some benefit to humanity. Examples include the generation and maintenance of fertile soils; prevention of soil erosion; detoxification and recycling of waste products; regulation of the hydrological cycle and of the gaseous composition of the atmosphere; control of potential agricultural pests; pollination; and preservation of the earth's genetic library. Walter Westman's classic paper "How much are nature's services

A tributyltin chloride (TBTCl)-resistant bacterium, Alteromonas sp. M-1, was isolated from coastal seawater. This bacterium grew in medium containing 125 microM TBTCl. TBTCl added to the medium was taken up by this bacterium, however, the amount of TBTCl in the cellular fraction was low after the logarithmic phase, suggesting the existence of a TBTCl-efflux system. A genetic library was constructed using plasmid vector pUC 19. Three positive clones were obtained, by which E. coli was transformed to TBTCl resistance. Of the three clones, the shortest fragment from HindIII-library was analyzed. This fragment was 1.8 kb long and contained one complete open reading frame. The predicted amino acid sequence of this open reading frame had a homologous domain to transglycosylases of bacteriophage and E. coli. TBTCl-tolerant marine bacteria other than Alteromonas sp. M-1 were obtained from natural seawater to which TBTCl was added. DNA-DNA hybridization was performed between the three cloned fragments from Alteromonas sp. M-1 and chromosomal DNA of the TBTCl-tolerant bacteria. Some strains hybridized with the fragments and some did not, suggesting that several genes are responsible for TBTCl tolerance.