Can sequence predict function? Algorithm could provide
framework for confirmation of protein function By
Cathy Holding
A novel bioinformatics approach for classifying proteins
according to similarity of function, rather than of
sequence, is described in the April 12 PNAS. Albert Y. Lau
and Daniel I. Chasman of Variagenics say that that their
approach could be used to construct a database that would
allow experimental confirmation of genomic sequences with
unknown function. But other researchers questioned the
practical applications of the work and suggested it was
merely an extension of techniques currently used.
Standard methods of prediction of protein function from
sequence rely on either an arbitrary standard-such as a
cutoff point at a particular percentage sequence identity-or
on analysis of annotations assigned by other
experimentalists, Chasman told The Scientist.
Read the rest at The Scientist dot com
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