Meta-workflows: pattern-based interoperability between Galaxy and Taverna

Taverna and Galaxy are two workflow systems developed specifically for bioinformatics applications. For sequence analysis applications, some tasks can be implemented easily on one system but would be difficult, or infeasible, to be implemented on the other. One solution to overcome this situation is to combine both tools in a unified framework that seamlessly makes use of the best features of each tool. In this paper, we present the architecture and implementation of a high-level system that provides such a solution. Our approach is based on meta-workflows and workflow patterns. We present a case study about the design of universal primers to demonstrate the capabilities of our system and to explain how the interplay between Taverna and Galaxy simplifies the analysis process.