PROTEIN MODELLING

The process of evolution has resulted in the production of DNA sequences that encode proteins with specific functions. In the absence of a protein structure that has been determined by X-ray crystallography or NMR spectroscopy, researchers can try to predict the three-dimensional structure using protein or molecular modeling. This method uses experimentally determined protein structures (templates) to predict the structure of another protein that has a similar amino acid sequence (target).

Although molecular modeling may not be as accurate at determining a protein's structure as experimental methods, it is still extremely helpful in proposing and testing various biological hypotheses. Molecular modeling also provides a starting point for researchers wishing to confirm a structure through X-ray crystallography and NMR spectroscopy. As the different genome projects are producing more sequences, and because novel protein folds and families are being determined, protein modeling will become an increasingly important tool for scientists working to understand normal and disease-related processes in living organisms.