Definition of Protein Backbone

The protein backbone refers to the primary structure of a protein molecule, which is composed of a chain of amino acids linked by peptide bonds. This linear sequence of amino acids determines the overall shape and function of the protein. In the context of local structure prediction, the goal is to reconstruct the atomic coordinates of a protein fragment as precise as possible, given its amino acid sequence.

Local structure prediction methods rely on the classification of fragments into certain structural classes. By analyzing known structures of similar fragments, researchers can draw valuable information about the protein's secondary and tertiary structure. The predicted structure of local protein fragments serves as a critical component in most global protein folding models, along with homology information and physicochemical properties of amino acids.

Recent advances in machine learning and statistical inference methods have led to significant progress in protein local structure classification and prediction. These developments have enabled researchers to better understand the complex relationships between protein sequence and structure.

In summary, the definition of protein backbone refers to the primary structure of a protein molecule, which determines its overall shape and function. Local structure prediction methods rely on classifying fragments into structural classes and analyzing known structures of similar fragments to reconstruct the atomic coordinates of the protein fragment.

Definition of protein backbone