Asynchronous Teams for probe selection problems

The selection of probe sets for hybridization experiments directly affects the efficiency and cost of the analysis. We propose the application of the Asynchronous Team (A-Team) technique to determine near-optimal probe sets. An A-Team is comprised of several different heuristic algorithms that communicate with each other via shared memories. The A-Team method has been applied successfully to several problems including the Set Covering Problem, the Traveling Salesman Problem, and the Point-to-Point Connection Problem, and lends itself well to the Probe Selection Problem. We designed and developed a C + + program to run instances of the Minimum Cost Probe Set and Maximum Distinguishing Probe Set problems. A program description and our results are presented in the paper.