A major upgrade to the AlphaFold Protein Structure Database now includes over 8,000 virus protein dimers, enhancing our understanding of viruses that can infect humans. This database uses artificial intelligence to predict the 3D structures of proteins, which is crucial for studying how viruses operate and interact with human cells. The update focuses on 23 virus families, including those causing diseases like Zika and dengue. Researchers identified accurate sequences for thousands of viral proteins, leading to predictions for many protein pairs. However, only a portion of these predictions met the quality standards for inclusion in the database. This effort is part of a new ‘pandemic preparedness portal’ aimed at improving our readiness for future viral outbreaks.
QUESTION: How might advancements in predicting virus protein structures impact the development of treatments and vaccines for future pandemics?
AlphaFold ‘goes viral’: database adds protein complexes of common viruses
