Structural genomics – expanding protein structural universe

Abstract Structural Genomics has emerged as a multidisciplinary and international effort to expand the universe of protein folds by rapidly determining novel structures. This initiative takes advantage of the genome sequencing projects and technological advances in genomic analysis, molecular biology, proteomics, and structural biology. The international Structural Genomics efforts were initiated, in part, to achieve a more rapid understanding of sequence/structure relationships with the ultimate goal to make it feasible to predict an accurate 3D protein structure on the basis of sequence alone, and to elucidate novel biological function directly from primary genomic sequence. A number of Structural Genomics centers have been established to test and improve existing and develop new technologies. These centers developed the protein structure determination pipelines that include target selection, gene cloning and expression, protein and crystal production, structure determination, and structural and functional analysis. These pipelines are capable of determining hundreds of novel protein structures. Structural Genomics is rapidly expanding the universe of protein folds, creating new reagents, comprehensive libraries of expression clones, and databases for broad use. New high‐throughput technologies supported by robotics and automation in molecular biology, protein expression, purification, crystallization, and structure determination are being disseminated to the public and, therefore, contribute to the acceleration of new discoveries in biology. Ultimately, Structural Genomics will become a major component of and contributor to the next structural biology challenge – visualization of all major subcellular macromolecular assemblies of the cell.