#!/usr/bin/perl -w
# Searching for motifs
# Ask the user for the filename of the file containing
# the protein sequence data, and collect it from the keyboard
print "Please type the filename of the protein sequence data: ";
$proteinfilename = <STDIN>;
# Remove the newline from the protein filename
chomp $proteinfilename;
# open the file, or exit
unless ( open(PROTEINFILE, $proteinfilename) )
{
print "Cannot open file \"$proteinfilename\"\n\n";
exit;
}
# Read the protein sequence data from the file, and store it
# into the array variable @protein
@protein = <PROTEINFILE>;
# Close the file - we've read all the data into @protein now.
close PROTEINFILE;
# Put the protein sequence data into a single string, as it's easier
# to search for a motif in a string than in an array of
# lines (what if the motif occurs over a line break?)
$protein = join( '', @protein);
# Remove whitespace
$protein =~ s/\s//g;
# In a loop, ask the user for a motif, search for the motif,
# and report if it was found.
# Exit if no motif is entered.
do
{
print "Enter a motif to search for: ";
$motif = <STDIN>;
# Remove the newline at the end of $motif
chomp $motif;
# Look for the motif
if ( $protein =~ /$motif/ )
{
print "I found it!\n\n";
}
else
{
print "I couldn\'t find it.\n\n";
}
# exit on an empty user input
} until ( $motif =~ /^\s*$/ );
# exit the program
exit;