Protein bioinformatics

Structural bioinformaticsInvolves the process of determining a protein's three- dimensional structure using comparative primary sequence alignment, secondary and tertiary structure prediction methods, homology modeling, and crystallographic diffraction pattern analyses. Currently, there is no reliable de novo predictive method for protein 3D- structure determination. Over the past half- century, protein structure has been determined by purifying a protein, crystallizing it, then bombarding it with X-rays. The X-ray diffraction pattern from the bombardment is recorded electronically and analyzed using software that creates a rough draft of the 3D structure. Biological scientists and crystallographers then tweak and manipulate the rough draft considerably. The resulting spatial coordinate file can be examined using modeling- structure software to study the gross and subtle features of the protein's structure.