Abstract: Methods and apparatus for predicting, confirming and displaying functional regions from genomic sequence data are presented. The methods and apparatus are particularly useful for predicting coding regions within genomic sequence data, confirming the expression thereof experimentally, and relating and displaying the expression data in meaningful relationship to the genomic sequence. The methods and apparatus of the present invention thus present powerful tools for novel gene discovery.

Abstract: A device holding apparatus comprising a base plate 11; a hollow pad guard 12 provided on said base plate; a pad pin 13 inserted to said pad guard movably in an axis direction and having a through hole 131; a pad 14 provided at a tip of said pad pin and having a through hole connected to the through hole 141 of the pad pin; and a bellows pad 15 provided on said base plate, having a through hole 151 connected to the through hole of said pad pin and being elastic in the axis direction; for holding by suction a device by said pad by applying a negative pressure to the through hole 151 of said bellows pad, the through hole 131 of said pad pin and the through hole 141 of said pad.