How to split a cell 1x1 in Matlab? - matlab

Question

Let's say I have a 1x1 cell with this value : 'atcatcaaca' .
My goal is :
Add 1 to 5 'a' beside any 'a'.
Add 1 to 10 'c' beside any 'c'.
Add a random number of 'g' beside any 'g'.
Add a random number of 't' beside any 't'.
For example i have 'atcatcaaca'.My goal is to make it like:'aaaattttcccaattttccaaaaaaaaaacccccccccaa'
My thought is to take the value cell and split it somehow in a matrix:
a | t | a | t | c |a |a | c | a.
Is it possible?And if it is ,how?
The code is :
filename = fullfile(matlabroot,'virus_nucleotitde2.dat');
Z = readtable(filename);
S = table2cell(Z);
num_rows = size (Z,1);
num_cols = size (Z,2);
for i=1:1:num_rows
for j=1:1:num_cols
B = S(i,j);
a=0;
c=0;
g=0;
t=0;
B{1} = num2cell(B{1});
n = randi(6); % Random number between 1 and 6
B{1} = strrep(B{1} , 'a' , repmat('a' , 1, n));
n = randi(11); % Random number between 1 and 11
B{1} = strrep(B{1} , 'c' , repmat('c' , 1, n));
n = randi(11);
B{1} = strrep(B{1} , 'g' , repmat('g' , 1, n));
n = randi(11);
B{1} = strrep(B{1} , 't' , repmat('t' , 1, n));
end
end

Answer 1

Inside the cell, there is a char that you can access with curly brackets:
S = {'ataggatag'};
B = S{1};
disp(B)
Then, strrep is your friend:
n = randi(6); % Random number between 1 and 6
B = strrep(B , 'a' , repmat('a' , 1, n));
n = randi(11); % Random number between 1 and 11
B = strrep(B , 'c' , repmat('c' , 1, n));
n = randi(11);
B = strrep(B , 'g' , repmat('g' , 1, n));
n = randi(11);
B = strrep(B , 't' , repmat('t' , 1, n));
Then put it back into the cell
S{1} = B;
disp(S)
Note that I used 6 as maximum number of 'a's because strrep is going to replace the original a, not adding letters beside it as you asked.
EDIT:
Following OP's edit, here is your solution:
S = {'ataggatag'};
num_rows = size (S,1);
num_cols = size (S,2);
for i=1:1:num_rows
for j=1:1:num_cols
n = randi(6); % Random number between 1 and 6
S{i,j} = strrep(S{i,j} , 'a' , repmat('a' , 1, n));
n = randi(11); % Random number between 1 and 11
S{i,j} = strrep(S{i,j} , 'c' , repmat('c' , 1, n));
n = randi(11);
S{i,j} = strrep(S{i,j} , 'g' , repmat('g' , 1, n));
n = randi(11);
S{i,j} = strrep(S{i,j} , 't' , repmat('t' , 1, n));
end
end
disp(S)

Answer 2

It's already so.. 'a string' is an array of chars, so in order to convert them to a cell array you need to use the usual num2cell function:
>> name_in_1x1_cell_array{1} = 'ataggatag'
name_in_1x1_cell_array =
'ataggatag'
>> name_in_1x1_cell_array{1} = num2cell(name_in_1x1_cell_array{1})
name_in_1x1_cell_array =
{1x9 cell}
You can also access to characters directly, for example you can cycle every character of a string and display it:
name = 'some name';
for i = 1 : length(name)
disp(name(i));
end

Answer 3

Based on your description, not the code:
With the function strrep this is straightforward, as it operates on cell arrays as well:
cell_string = {'atcatcaaca'};
% add a's
cell_string = strrep(cell_string, 'a', repmat('a',1,5));
% add c's
cell_string = strrep(cell_string, 'c', repmat('c',1,10));
% add t's
cell_string = strrep(cell_string, 't', repmat('t',1,randi(10)));
The function repmat is used to duplicate characters.