computational biology
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Over the past few decades, major advances in the field of molecular biology, coupled with advances in genomic technologies, have led to an explosive growth in the biological data generated by the scientific community. The critical need to process and analyze such a deluge of data and turn it into useful knowledge has caused bioinformatics to gain prominence and importance. Bioinformatics is an interdisciplinary research area that applies techniques, methodologies, and tools in computer and information science to solve biological problems. In Nigeria, bioinformatics has recently played a vital role in the advancement of biological sciences. As a developing country, the importance of bioinformatics is rapidly gaining acceptance, and bioinformatics groups comprised of biologists, computer scientists, and computer engineers are being constituted at Nigerian universities and research institutes. In this article, we present an overview of bioinformatics education and research in Nigeria. We also discuss professional societies and academic and research institutions that play central roles in advancing the discipline in Nigeria. Finally, we propose strategies that can bolster bioinformatics education and support from policy makers in Nigeria, with potential positive implications for other developing countries.
- MeSH
- výpočetní biologie * výchova MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
- práce podpořená grantem MeSH
- Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural MeSH
- Geografické názvy
- Nigérie MeSH
Enzymes are in high demand for very diverse biotechnological applications. However, natural biocatalysts often need to be engineered for fine-tuning their properties towards the end applications, such as the activity, selectivity, stability to temperature or co-solvents, and solubility. Computational methods are increasingly used in this task, providing predictions that narrow down the space of possible mutations significantly and can enormously reduce the experimental burden. Many computational tools are available as web-based platforms, making them accessible to non-expert users. These platforms are typically user-friendly, contain walk-throughs, and do not require deep expertise and installations. Here we describe some of the most recent outstanding web-tools for enzyme engineering and formulate future perspectives in this field.
- MeSH
- biotechnologie * MeSH
- internet * MeSH
- rozpustnost MeSH
- výpočetní biologie MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
- práce podpořená grantem MeSH
- přehledy MeSH
Traditional directed evolution experiments are often time-, labor- and cost-intensive because they involve repeated rounds of random mutagenesis and the selection or screening of large mutant libraries. The efficiency of directed evolution experiments can be significantly improved by targeting mutagenesis to a limited number of hot-spot positions and/or selecting a limited set of substitutions. The design of such "smart" libraries can be greatly facilitated by in silico analyses and predictions. Here we provide an overview of computational tools applicable for (a) the identification of hot-spots for engineering enzyme properties, and (b) the evaluation of predicted hot-spots and selection of suitable amino acids for substitutions. The selected tools do not require any specific expertise and can easily be implemented by the wider scientific community.
Taking an evolutionary approach to cell biology can yield important new information about how the cell works and how it evolved to do so. This is true of the Golgi apparatus, as it is of all systems within the cell. Comparative genomics is one of the crucial first steps to this line of research, but comes with technical challenges that must be overcome for rigor and robustness. We here introduce AMOEBAE, a workflow for mid-range scale comparative genomic analyses. It allows for customization of parameters, queries, and taxonomic sampling of genomic and transcriptomics data. This protocol article covers the rationale for an evolutionary approach to cell biological study (i.e., when would AMOEBAE be useful), how to use AMOEBAE, and discussion of limitations. It also provides an example dataset, which demonstrates that the Golgi protein AP4 Epsilon is present as the sole retained subunit of the AP4 complex in basidiomycete fungi. AMOEBAE can facilitate comparative genomic studies by balancing reproducibility and speed with user-input and interpretation. It is hoped that AMOEBAE or similar tools will encourage cell biologists to incorporate an evolutionary context into their research.
- Klíčová slova
- Adaptin, BLAST, Basidiomycete, Comparative genomics, Computational pipeline, Evolutionary Cell Biology, Golgi, Homology searching, Molecular evolution, Workflow,
- MeSH
- Amoeba * genetika MeSH
- biologická evoluce MeSH
- genomika metody MeSH
- Golgiho aparát metabolismus MeSH
- reprodukovatelnost výsledků MeSH
- výpočetní biologie metody MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
- práce podpořená grantem MeSH
Protein engineering strategies aimed at constructing enzymes with novel or improved activities, specificities, and stabilities greatly benefit from in silico methods. Computational methods can be principally grouped into three main categories: bioinformatics; molecular modelling; and de novo design. Particularly de novo protein design is experiencing rapid development, resulting in more robust and reliable predictions. A recent trend in the field is to combine several computational approaches in an interactive manner and to complement them with structural analysis and directed evolution. A detailed investigation of designed catalysts provides valuable information on the structural basis of molecular recognition, biochemical catalysis, and natural protein evolution.
- MeSH
- enzymy genetika MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- molekulární modely MeSH
- mutace MeSH
- proteinové inženýrství metody MeSH
- stabilita enzymů MeSH
- výpočetní biologie metody MeSH
- Check Tag
- lidé MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
- práce podpořená grantem MeSH
- přehledy MeSH
- Názvy látek
- enzymy MeSH
Plant specialized metabolites have diversified vastly over the course of plant evolution, and they are considered key players in complex interactions between plants and their environment. The chemical diversity of these metabolites has been widely explored and utilized in agriculture and crop enhancement, the food industry, and drug development, among other areas. However, the immensity of the plant metabolome can make its exploration challenging. Here we describe a protocol for exploring plant specialized metabolites that combines high-resolution mass spectrometry and computational metabolomics strategies, including molecular networking, identification of structural motifs, as well as prediction of chemical structures and metabolite classes.
- Klíčová slova
- GNPS, MS2LDA, MS2Query, MZmine, Molecular networking, Plant metabolomics, SIRIUS, Specialized metabolites,
- MeSH
- hmotnostní spektrometrie * metody MeSH
- metabolom * MeSH
- metabolomika * metody MeSH
- rostliny * metabolismus MeSH
- výpočetní biologie metody MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
- práce podpořená grantem MeSH
Current computational tools to assist experimentalists for the design and engineering of proteins with desired catalytic properties are reviewed. The applications of these tools for de novo design of protein active sites, optimization of substrate access and product exit pathways, redesign of protein-protein interfaces, identification of neutral/advantageous/deleterious mutations in the libraries from directed evolution and stabilization of protein structures are described. Remarkable progress is seen in de novo design of enzymes catalyzing a chemical reaction for which a natural biocatalyst does not exist. Yet, constructed biocatalysts do not match natural enzymes in their efficiency, suggesting that more research is needed to capture all the important features of natural biocatalysts in theoretical designs.
- MeSH
- biokatalýza MeSH
- katalytická doména MeSH
- ligandy MeSH
- mutace MeSH
- proteinové inženýrství metody trendy MeSH
- proteiny chemie genetika metabolismus MeSH
- stabilita proteinů MeSH
- výpočetní biologie metody trendy MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
- práce podpořená grantem MeSH
- přehledy MeSH
- Názvy látek
- ligandy MeSH
- proteiny MeSH
There is great interest in increasing proteins' stability to enhance their utility as biocatalysts, therapeutics, diagnostics and nanomaterials. Directed evolution is a powerful, but experimentally strenuous approach. Computational methods offer attractive alternatives. However, due to the limited reliability of predictions and potentially antagonistic effects of substitutions, only single-point mutations are usually predicted in silico, experimentally verified and then recombined in multiple-point mutants. Thus, substantial screening is still required. Here we present FireProt, a robust computational strategy for predicting highly stable multiple-point mutants that combines energy- and evolution-based approaches with smart filtering to identify additive stabilizing mutations. FireProt's reliability and applicability was demonstrated by validating its predictions against 656 mutations from the ProTherm database. We demonstrate that thermostability of the model enzymes haloalkane dehalogenase DhaA and γ-hexachlorocyclohexane dehydrochlorinase LinA can be substantially increased (ΔTm = 24°C and 21°C) by constructing and characterizing only a handful of multiple-point mutants. FireProt can be applied to any protein for which a tertiary structure and homologous sequences are available, and will facilitate the rapid development of robust proteins for biomedical and biotechnological applications.
- MeSH
- bodová mutace genetika fyziologie MeSH
- databáze genetické MeSH
- lyasy chemie genetika metabolismus MeSH
- molekulární modely MeSH
- počítačová simulace MeSH
- proteinové inženýrství metody MeSH
- stabilita enzymů genetika MeSH
- teplota MeSH
- výpočetní biologie metody MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
- práce podpořená grantem MeSH
- Názvy látek
- lyasy MeSH
Protein tunnels connecting the functional buried cavities with bulk solvent and protein channels, enabling the transport through biological membranes, represent the structural features that govern the exchange rates of ligands, ions, and water solvent. Tunnels and channels are present in a vast number of known proteins and provide control over their function. Modification of these structural features by protein engineering frequently provides proteins with improved properties. Here we present a detailed computational protocol employing the CAVER software that is applicable for: (1) the analysis of tunnels and channels in protein structures, and (2) the selection of hot-spot residues in tunnels or channels that can be mutagenized for improved activity, specificity, enantioselectivity, or stability.
- Klíčová slova
- Binding, CAVER, Channel, Gate, Protein, Rational design, Software, Transport, Tunnel,
- MeSH
- algoritmy MeSH
- konformace proteinů MeSH
- ligandy MeSH
- molekulární modely MeSH
- proteinové inženýrství metody MeSH
- proteiny chemie MeSH
- rozpouštědla chemie MeSH
- software MeSH
- výpočetní biologie metody MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
- práce podpořená grantem MeSH
- Názvy látek
- ligandy MeSH
- proteiny MeSH
- rozpouštědla MeSH
Conformational dynamics is crucial for the biological function of RNA molecules and for their potential as therapeutic targets. This meeting report outlines key "take-home" messages that emerged from the presentations and discussions during the CECAM workshop "RNA dynamics from experimental and computational approaches" in Paris, June 26-28, 2023.
- MeSH
- konformace nukleové kyseliny * MeSH
- RNA * metabolismus chemie MeSH
- simulace molekulární dynamiky * MeSH
- výpočetní biologie metody MeSH
- Publikační typ
- kongresy MeSH
- práce podpořená grantem MeSH
- Názvy látek
- RNA * MeSH
