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Hello my question is how to count the longest sequence of AGATC (meaning AGATCAGATCis sequence of two) in the very long string.

I need to use python. My code for now looks like this:

pattern = re.compile(r'AGATC')
matches = pattern.finditer(text_to_search)
for match in matches:
    agatc += 1

print(agatc)

Number 28 will be printed but I know that 22 is the right answer.

text analyzed here:

GCTAAATTTGTTCAGCCAGATGTAGGCTTACAAATCAAGCTGTCCGCTCGGCACGGCCTACACACGTCGTGTAACTACAACAGCTAGTTAATCTGGATATCACCATGACCGAATCATAGATTTCGCCTTAAGGAGCTTTACCATGGCTTGGGATCCAATACTAAGGGCTCGACCTAGGCGAATGAGTTTCAGGTTGGCAATCAGCAACGCTCGCCATCCGGACGACGGCTTACAGTTAGTAGCATAGTACGCGATTTTCGGGAAATGAATGAATGAATGAATGAATGAATGAATGAATGAATGAATGAATGAATGAATGAATGAATGAATGAATGAATGAATGAATGAATGAATGAATGAATGAATGAATGAATGAATGAATGAATGAATGAATGAATGAATGAATGAATGAATGAATGAATGAATGAATGAATGTATCTATCTATCTATCTATCTATCTATCTATCTATCTATCTATCTATCTATCTATCTATCTATCTATCTATCCCGTCAACTCATTCACACCGCATCCTTTCCTGCCACTGTAACTAGTCGACTGGGGAACCTCATCATCCATACTCTCCCACATTATGCCTCCCAACCTTGTTAAGCGTGGCATGCTTGGGATTGCATTGATGCTTCTTGGAGAGGACGCTTTCGTTTTGGAGATTACAGGGATCCAATTTTATCATCGGTTCGACTCCCGTAACGACTTAGCAGTAAGGGTGCTAGTTCCTGGTTAGAATCTTAATAAATCACGTCGCTTGGAGCAAGACAAAGATCGTCGTAATGCCAAGTGCACGACCACCTTCAGACTTGCAGGACCCGTTTTTTCTTTTTTTCTTTTTTTCTTTTTTTCTTTTTTTCTTTTTTTCTTTTTTTCTTTTTTTCTTTTTTTCTTTTTTTCTTTTTTTCTTTTTTTCTTTTTTTCTTTTTTTCTTTTTTTCTTTTTTTCTTTTTTTCTTTTTTTCTTTTTTTCTTTTTTTCTTTTTTTCTTTTTTTCTTTTTTTCTTTTTTTCTTTTTTTCTTTTTTTCTTTTTTTCTTTTTTTCTTTTTTTCTTTTTTTCTTTTTTTCTTTTTTTCTTTTTTTCTCGATAGCTATGCGGTTCAATACAATCTTAACGCAATGCAGCGATGTGGTTTCGTACACTTAGCATAAAACCCCCCACATTAAATCGATGTACCCGCCCTCTTAGACGCCAATTTCAATGCCGAACCTCCGGCGGGTATCTCTGCACTAGGAGAAGTAGCACGTCGCTGTAGCGAACTCCTATCGTGAGATAATTTGTAGAGCTGCTCTTATAATACAATAGCTCAGATGGATTATTCCATGGACATCCCCGTGCGTTGTTTCGAGGATGGTAGGTGGAAATTTTGCCAGACCTCTAGTCTTAAACATGGTTGACGTTATAGGCGCTATCTCTTGCGTCTGGAAGTGTTAATCCGTGAGAAAGAAAGAAAGAAAGAAAGAAAGAAAGAAAGAAAGAAAGAAAGAAAGAAAGAAAGAAAGAAAGAAAGAAAGAAAGAAAGAAAGAAAGAAAGAAAGAAAGAAAGAAAGAAAGAAAGAAAGAAAGAAAGAAAGAAAGAAAGAAAGAAAGAAAGAAAGAAAGAAAGAAAGAAAGAAAGAAAGAAAGAAACACGCAACTCTGGAGGAGGGCACTGCACTGCAAACTTGCGTAATATCCTTCACCCACACTTGCCTGGCCTCCTTGCTTAAAGCTCTGGCGATGCGATTTTTCGGCCCAGTAGCTGAATAGGTCATGAAATGGGCACCGAACTGGAAAGACCCATATATTCGATACTCACAACTTAATGATAGCGCGATTAAGAGCGACACCAAAAACCAAATTACGTTCACGAACCTTTGAGAGTCAAGGAGACTTAGACCGAATTGAATGATCACTGATGCGCCCGCTGATACTGAGCCTCACCATTAATCGCCGACCAATACGGCGTGTACCGGGCGCGGCCTTGCCGCATAACGATAGATAGATAGATAGATAGATAGATAGATAGATAGATAGATAGATAGATAGATAGATAGATAGATAGATAGATAGATAGATAGATAGATAGATAGATAGATATCTGTCTGTCTGTCTGTCTGTCTGTCTGTCTGTCTGTCTGTCTGTCTGTCTGTCTGTCTGTCTGTCTGTCTGTCTGTCTGTCTGTCTGTCTGTCTGTCTGTCTGTCTGTCTGTCTGTCTGTCTGTCTGTCTGTCTGTCTGTCTGTCTGTCTGTCTGTCTGTCTGTACACAGCCCCGTCCTCATTGCTAAGTGCACTGGCAACTGGACCTAAAGATTTTTCGAGTATGGCCCTCGAATCAAGCGCCCACCCAGAAACCTACGAGCCAGTAACCCCAGTAAACAAGCATTAGTGCTATATGCTTGCTGCCCACTAGGACCCTTATGGTTCATACCAGGGTGACGTGTCTTGCGGGCCAAGGATGAACCAGAAGCAAGATCCTTAGATGGACGACTGTCTCATTGCTTAAACTCCACATACCAAAGGGCGCGGTAAACGATAGTTTTAGGTAATGTTAGTCGGATGGTTGTCTGCAGCTACCAATACAGCCTGGCACCCAGGGTCTGAACAATAACGCGTGAGAGCAGCTCTCCCGCGTGTGGTGGATTTGCCGTCTATGAAATTGAGGCTCTTGCAACTATTCGCACTCGGAATGCCCTCATATCTGGTGCCTAGCGGCCTTTGCCCCGTGCCGGTAGGACTAAACTCTACGGATCGTTGACGGATCTCGATGTGGAAGATGGTTATGAAAGATAACAACGCGTGTGCTAATTGATTTAGACAAGTATTGCGGCAGTAAAAGATAATCGGCTGCAGAGTTACGAAAGACTTCCATGCATGGATTCCATTCCTTCTAGTATAGGACCCACTCTGAATACACGTCTTGCGGGCCGATCATCTCCACCGCTGCGGAAGAAAGCAATTAAGAATCTATGCTCATTAAGAGTGCGACTATAATGCGGATCTTACAGTGCTAATGATCAGGACGTCGTCCAAGCAGGCTGCATGCCGAATTTAGCTTACGTCAGGATCAGGCGTTATAGCCTGGGAATCGGACTATGAGGACGCCACGACCTCTGGGAGAAAGCTATATACATTGAGGATCGCGCCATCTTTATGAGACTCAAATGAATCTAGATAGGTAGCATTGCGGACTTGAGTTAGCACATCGGTATTGGAAGGTGAGGGTCCTGCCGCTCGTTCTATGTTCGGTTTATAGTATACAAATAGGTCATCCCGAACGTTGAAGTTAAACTCATGACACGTTGTCGTAATGAAACGGGCCTGTTATTAGGGATACAGACAAAAGGCACAAGCTGGCTTGCACATTAAGGCGCACTAGAGATCCTCACAACCGTTGCCCGCACGGAGGTCGTGTCTAACAGACAGTGAACCAGCCGTATTGGGGTGGATGACCTGAGCTTCTTGGGGCCTGTTGTACACCGCGTGTGGTTCAACTGGTACACATACTACGAATATTCGAAATCATTGTACTGTGCTCTTCGGTGCTACTGACTGTGAGCGAATGCATCCCAATCCCAAACAATGCTTGTGGTAGGAGAATTGAAACTCTCGAAGCCTGGCCCAATGTCATCTACTTTTAACATGTCGGGCCAGGAGTTACGGGCATTGCTTACTTACTTTGCCCCCTTACACCACAGCAGCGCGATTCTTGTTGTAGTAGATTTTATACGACTCGCGAATTAAATGGAACTTGTCTGTCCCATATCGATCGTGTCCATCGTAAGATGAGATTGTAGGAGCATTCGGAAGTCTATGCGGCCCAGGGACTACTACGTTAAATCTGGTCAGACGTGGTTTACAAGGCGTCCCGATCTTCTCAGAACATATGGGAAAGCACTACCGTTCCTTCACGCATACAGTTGTTCGTGCCGAACGAGTAAGCTTGCGACCAGCCCACCCGCTAGGGCTATGCAGCGGGTCATGGCTGGCGCCATACTGTGCGGACAACCCACGCTCTGGCAGAAAGCGTCTTGTGTTTTGTAGTAGCTCCAACGGTTAGACCTTCGATATCTATTCAGAGCGCGAGCGACCACTATTAGACGGCATGTAAACAATGTGTATTTGTTCGGCCCAACCGGTATATGGGTAAGACCGCGAAGGGCCTGCGCGAATACCAGCGTCCAAAAATTCCTCACCCGAGATATGCGGTTAGTACCCCTTGGGTAACGGTCCGCTACGGGTAGCGACGCGAGCCGGCCGCATCGGTTGGAGCCGAGTTGTCGGGCAGGCGAGTAACGTGTGCAATTTGATGGGCCCAAGCCTCCGGCACTATCCACCTCATACATCGACAAAAGCACCAAATATGGGGAAAAGCTGAGCGTCGATATGTACATCTACCCAGGAACCGGCCCGAACATTAGGCGGACGTGAATTTCCGACCTAGGTTCGGCTACATTTCTACGATCCAAGCACACGTGAAGGAGGAGGGGTGTTCCGACCGTAAATGAACGAGGTGCGCAGTGACCCGATGGCGTTTAGCGGATAGCCTTCCTATGCCGGCCTATGCTGTATGGTAGTTGGTTGGTGCCTCCAGAGCCACTGCACCCAATCATAGGGTCTACAGCAGCGTACTTATAAAATTGTACGGGTGACCCATATCCATTACGGGTTGCGACCAGTATAGGAGAGTATAACTGCGTGAACTAATGCGTTATGACGCTTCAGAGTTTGCTCGGGCCCGAGTTCTAGGGCTATAATGTGTTAGGGCGCAAGTATGCCAAGCTAAGATGTGGCGTGCACACTAGGAGTTGTGTTCCTCTGCAAGCAGACACGAGCACTCTGGCAGTAGTTTGACCACACCCGGGTATCACTGCTACTCCATTTCGAACAAGCTATTGGAGCGGACAAAATATGCTACTCAAGAGCATTAGTTATAGGTCTACGAGACAGAAGCAGTTACTGAGTCTGAATATTCGATATAAGTAGGCATGGAGGCGGAGCAAAACAACGTCTGCGATCAATCGTGTTGATGACGTATGGCGACTGGAAGGTAAGGACTATGGCCGGACGGAATGATTCATGTTCTGTTCAAAGCTATATTTCGAAGGGGTATATTAGCGGTCCTACACTTGGTTAGCACCCTCCCCCCTCTGGATCCTGCACTAATTCGAGCTGGCCTCCATCGGTATCAGTCCGGAAGCTCCACTCTCTATCGTAGTCCTAATCAACAGGGTGCCAGTTTGCTCACGTGGAAGTTTGAGGCCCTTTGTGCTCCATAGCCAATCACTAACCATGCACGCGCGACCCACTCTACGTCCAGATCGGCTATAATAGTTGCGCCCGGGACTGGCAGAGTAGACATGTAAGCTAGATAGAGCCCCGACATCGGCCAAGAGATCCTACGCTGCTTCCAGATAATGAGAGACATTCTAGCATTAGACATGCAAGTCGGCAGGGACTCCCCTTATCTAGTAATTTCGATGAATTGGTTTTTCGGCTAGCATCTAGTCTAGTCTAGTCTAGTCTAGTCTAGTCTAGTCTAGTCTAGTCTAGTCTAGTCTAGACCATGCCGACCTCATCATAGAAGGAATGCTCTAAACTTAGAGTGCTACTAGGAAAACTATTAATCAATGATCGTCCTGCTTACATAGCTGGACGGCGAAAGTTCTTATACTGCGGAGGTTGCTGACGTAGAGTGCGCTGGGTACAGCGGATAAGTTGATCAGGGTGGGGATAGGGTGGCTCACCGTTTATACTCATATAGATTCCTGGCGTCGACGCTGTGACAGGGTCGAGATCGAGGGGGAGATCAGATCAGATCAGATCAGATCAGATCAGATCAGATCAGATCAGATCAGATCAGATCAGATCAGATCAGATCAGATCAGATCAGATCAGATCAGATCAGATCAGATCAGCGGAGCGGAGGGAAAATTATCACCAGAGGGTAGGGGCTCGCGACATTCTATTCAATGCATTTCAAGCTACTTACGTATTTCGGCACAGTGACTACTGCCTGCGCGGCAGCCGTAAGGTTTCCCGTCAATAGGTGGCACGTATCATTGATGAAAGTGTCAGCTAATCATTCAGGCCTTA
Lukáš Smetana
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  • How do you know that 22 is the right answer? – Michael Butscher Apr 14 '20 at 11:14
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    Neither “CS50” nor “PSET6” are general programming terms, they are *not sufficient* to describe your problem. In particular, Harvard’s CS50 has *different exercises every year*, and PSET6 in both [2018](https://docs.cs50.net/2018/x/psets/6/pset6.html) and [2019](https://docs.cs50.net/2019/x/psets/6/index.html) doesn’t involve finding STRs in DNA. – Konrad Rudolph Apr 14 '20 at 11:19
  • @KonradRudolph Sorry I am new to Stackoverflow and don't know how to name the topic correctly. In 2020 you need to count the number of particular STRs (like TATC, AGATC, etc) and compare it with the counts in a database for particular people. Sorry if I describe something without proper vocabulary and terminology. – Lukáš Smetana Apr 14 '20 at 11:31
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    @LukášSmetana The *naming* isn’t the (main) issue. The problem is that nobody who isn’t coincidentally doing the exact same course as you can understand your question in sufficient detail to help. – Konrad Rudolph Apr 14 '20 at 11:33
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    @KonradRudolph Hello again, I rewrote the question. Can you take a look>? – Lukáš Smetana Apr 14 '20 at 11:44
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    @LukášSmetana you can find the CS50 community [here](https://cs50.stackexchange.com/) – DinoCoderSaurus Apr 14 '20 at 11:56
  • Thanks, the rewrite made the question *much* better. – Konrad Rudolph Apr 14 '20 at 12:49
  • Thanks @DinoCoderSaurus I did not know that exists :) – Lukáš Smetana Apr 14 '20 at 14:01
  • @MichaelButscher from the solution of the exercise – Lukáš Smetana Apr 14 '20 at 14:02

1 Answers1

5

Your code searches and counts all instances of the substring 'AGATC'. However, you want to find the longest consecutive sequence of repeated instances of AGATC.

Compare the expected and actual result on the following string (I’ve added spaces for clarity):

AGATC TTT AGATC AGATC

Your code will yield the answer “3” — whereas the expected answer is “2”, since the longest repeat of 'AGATC's is two.

There are multiple ways of tackling the problem. If you want to use regular expressions, you can search for non-overlapping repeats:

pattern = re.compile(r'(AGATC)+')

With this, each match will contain the entire match of repeats. You can find the longest one by subtracting each match’s end() from its start(). To get the number of repeats, divide the length of the match by the length of your STR (i.e. len('AGATC')).

Konrad Rudolph
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