How to convert from a .txt to a .maf file?

Question

[ksanchez1296]

I have created a mutation annotation format (maf)-like text file and need to convert it into a .maf file for further analysis. Is there any way to do this conversion using a software or in R? There doesn't seem to be much information going from a .txt -> .maf. Any help would be greatly appreciated! I'm at a roadblock until I can figure this out.

Answer 1

[Kevin Blighe]

Your TXT file may already fit the MAF format specification if you have the required columns. You have not indicated the columns that you already have, so, I (and no-one else) can say for definite. Keep in mind that MAF files are plain text, tab-delimited, and have specific column names. The TXT extension itself usually indicates that a file is plain text but says nothing about the structure / arrangement of the data inside.

You can check here whether or not your file is already in the MAF format (see Table 1): Mutation Annotation Format (MAF) Specification

On that same page, see the information under the heading 'MAF file checks'.

Keep further in mind that the MAF format was created as a result of the TCGA project, so, it is tailoured for cancer.

Kevin

[GenoMax]

There is also a different MAF format that predates MAF you are referring to.