Initially, ARB was developed for rRNA data, however, the package also
supports handling and analysis of protein coding genes.

Currently, the ARB software is under further development for genome
sequence database management.

Highlighted features:

 - Any database entry can be visualised in the main window along with
   a phylogenetic tree. Database access and navigation is possible via
   mouse click in the displayed tree or by using a search tool.

 - Sequence and additional data can be im- and exported in a variety
   of commonly used flat file formates.

 - A powerfull editor for real or virtual primary structures includes
   versatile tools for string searching, automated alignment of
   primary structures, local alignment optimisation, automated
   secondary structure check as well as secondary structure
   visualisation.
  
 - Conservation profiles and column filters can be established
   according to user defined criteria applying different procedures.

 - Distance matrix, maximum parsimony and maximum likelihood based
   phylogenetic treeing can be performed applying the respective
   integrated tools.  A special maximum parsimony approach allows
   reconstruction and optimisation of comprehensive trees representing
   the full sequence data set (currently more than 20.000 entries).
  
 - Publication ready trees can be generated and exported in various
   formates.

 - The ARB PT server (positional tree) provides the basis for rapid
   searching closest relatives or specific sequence signatures.  Such
   signatures can be evaluated as taxon specific probes against the
   background of the full database.
  
 - The ARB project maintains processed databases for ribosomal RNAs
   and selected evolutionary conserved genes.
