Other :: Comparing patterns & Self similarity :: In Arts & Nature :: Visual comparison using Dot Plots
Self similarity appears to be one of nature’s most favored design principles. Self-similarity is so widespread and important in nature, the arts and society. It is generating complexity from a simple initial pattern and a set of transformations on that pattern.
Dot plot is a simple graphical approach for the visual comparison of two sequences or find self similarity. To compare place one sequence on the vertical axis of a 2D grid (or matrix) and the other on the horizontal. In its simplest form, a dot is placed where the horizontal and vertical sequence values match.
Dot plot is a simple graphical approach for the visual comparison of two sequences or find self similarity. To compare place one sequence on the vertical axis of a 2D grid (or matrix) and the other on the horizontal. In its simplest form, a dot is placed where the horizontal and vertical sequence values match.
Lets see how we can compare two sequences using dot matrix method. Let us take the first sequence AGCTAGGA and the second sequence GACTAGGC.
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Long sequences can also be compared using smaller plots. By plotting a sequence against itself it is possible to find internal repeats, reveal tandem genes, repeated domains in proteins, or regions of low complexity where the same character is repeated.
Dot Plots have a long history :
Self-Similarity in Fractal Geometry
![]() Start with a filled in triangle connect the midpoints of each side and remove middle triangle. Repeat this process the resulting shape will be a self similar Sierpinski triangle which exhibits self similar behavior. The idea being that if we were to look at just a portion, that piece if we were to zoom in is identical to the whole. Are you intrigued? Learn more about patterns in Nature here..
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