Invalid Api For Biopython'S Blast?

Question

[Jesse J]

According to BioPython's API, Bio.Blast.NCBIWWW.qblast() should have a parameter of specifying megablast to be true or false. When I set my qblast as

result_handle = NCBIWWW.qblast("blastn", "nr", fasta_string, megablast=True)

then I get the error of

TypeError: qblast() got an unexpected keyword argument 'megablast'

What gives? Am I doing something wrong, or does BioPython not actually have that option?

[Niek De Klein]

Are you using the latest version of Biopython?

Answer 1

[Peter]

The megablast argument was added to the qblast function in October 2010, so you need at least Biopython 1.56 which was released in November 2010. Please upgrade, the current release is Biopython 1.58 released August 2011.

[Jesse J]

Huh...turns out I do have an older version. Which is weird considering I installed Biopython only a few weeks ago.

[Peter]

If you got it on Linux via the distribution's package manager, they often don't have the latest release.