AI predicts the shape of nearly every protein known to science

An artificial intelligence lab called DeepMind has released predictions for nearly every protein known to science.

• In 2020, DeepMind unveiled technology that could predict the shape of proteins.
• Tool: AlphaFold
• Relevance: If scientists can identify the shapes of proteins, they can accelerate the ability to understand diseases, create new medicines and otherwise probe the mysteries of life on Earth.
• It will speed up research into more obscure organisms and spark a new field called metaproteomics

How it will help?

• Proteins begin as strings of chemical compounds, then twist and fold into three-dimensional shapes that define how these molecules bind to others.
• If scientists can pinpoint the shape of a particular protein, they can decipher how it operates.
• This knowledge is often a vital part of the fight against illness and disease.
• For instance, bacteria resist antibiotics by expressing certain proteins.
• If scientists can understand how these proteins operate, they can begin to counter antibiotic resistance.
• Previously, pinpointing the shape of a protein required extensive experimentation involving X-rays, microscopes and other tools on a lab bench.
• Now, given the string of chemical compounds that make up a protein, AlphaFold can predict its shape.
• The technology is not perfect. But it can predict the shape of a protein with an accuracy that rivals physical experiments about 63% of the time.