AlphaFold ‘goes viral’: database adds protein complexes of common viruses
Thousands of protein pairs from disease-causing viruses have been added to the AlphaFold database, including those from monkeypox virus (artist’s illustration).Credit: Kateryna Kon/SPL
A database of predicted structures for nearly every known protein on Earth is being upgraded to better represent some of the least-known and deadliest species: viruses.
Researchers added more than 8,000 virus protein dimers — pairs of interacting molecules — to the AlphaFold Protein Structure Database on 24 September. The resource contains predictions of the 3D structure of proteins, which are generated using the AlphaFold2 artificial-intelligence tool and made publicly available. The added proteins come from 23 virus families, all with human-infecting members, and are part of the launch of a ‘pandemic preparedness portal’ within the widely used and freely available AlphaFold database.
AI can write genomes — how long until it creates synthetic life?