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Predicting the conformation of proteins man versus machine
Author(s) -
Benner Steven A.,
Gerloff Dietlind L.
Publication year - 1993
Publication title -
febs letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.593
H-Index - 257
eISSN - 1873-3468
pISSN - 0014-5793
DOI - 10.1016/0014-5793(93)81408-r
Subject(s) - biochemist , snapshot (computer storage) , protein structure prediction , computer science , sequence (biology) , computational biology , set (abstract data type) , protein structure , data science , bioinformatics , biology , engineering , genetics , biochemistry , programming language , database , biochemical engineering
Two types of approaches for predicting the conformation of proteins from sequence data have lately received attention: ‘black box’ tools that generate fully automated predictions of secondary structure from a set of homologous protein sequences, and methods involving the expertise of a human biochemist who is assisted, but not replaced, by computer tools. A friendly controversy has emerged as to which approach offers a brighter future. In fact, both are necessary. Nevertheless, a snapshot of the controversy at this instant offers much insight into the structure prediction problem itself.