Valentina Di Francesco

Fold recognition using predicted secondary structure sequences and hidden Markov models of protein folds.

We present an analysis of the blind predictions submitted to the fold recognition category for the second meeting on the Critical Assessment of techniques for protein Structure Prediction. Our method achieves fold recognition from predicted secondary structure sequences using hidden Markov models (HMMs) of protein folds. HMMs are trained only with experimentally derived secondary structure sequences of proteins having similar fold, therefore protein structures are described by the models at a remarkably simplified level. We submitted predictions for five target sequences, of which four were later found to be suitable for threading. Our approach correctly predicted the fold for three of them. For a fourth sequence the fold could have been correctly predicted if a better model for its structure was available. We conclude that we have additional evidence that secondary structure information represents an important factor for achieving fold recognition. Proteins, Suppl. 1:123–128, 1997. Published 1998 Wiley‐Liss, Inc. This article is a US government work and, as such, is in the public domain in the United States of America.

TOWARDS COORDINATED INTERNATIONAL SUPPORT OF CORE DATA RESOURCES FOR THE LIFE SCIENCES

On November 18-19, 2016, the Human Frontier Science Program Organization (HFSPO) hosted a meeting of senior managers of key data resources and leaders of several major funding organizations to discuss the challenges associated with sustaining biological and biomedical (i.e., life sciences) data resources and associated infrastructure. A strong consensus emerged from the group that core data resources for the life sciences should be supported through a coordinated international effort(s) that better ensure long-term sustainability and that appropriately align funding with scientific impact. Ideally, funding for such data resources should allow for access at no charge, as is presently the usual (and preferred) mechanism. Below, the rationale for this vision is described, and some important considerations for developing a new international funding model to support core data resources for the life sciences are presented.