Structural Bioinformatics Lecture Review

These flashcards cover key concepts and definitions from the Structural Bioinformatics lecture, facilitating review and understanding for exam preparation.

What are the main goals of structural bioinformatics?

To model and discover the basic principles underlying biological machinery at the molecular level and understand the mechanisms of action and function through 3D structural information.

What does the protein structure/function paradigm state?

The function of a macromolecule is dictated by its 3D-structure.

What is the purpose of the Protein Structure Initiative (PSI)?

To reveal the exact 3D structure of all proteins of the genomes using experimental and computational methods.

What is molecular docking?

An important field of structural bioinformatics aiming to predict the association of two molecular surfaces computationally.

How does evolution aid in understanding protein function?

Through the similarity principle, homolog proteins with significant sequence and structure similarity can reveal functional relationships.

What is the 'induced-fit' theory?

A theory that suggests proteins and ligands adapt themselves through conformational changes to achieve an optimal fit during the recognition process.

What key forces are responsible for molecular recognition?

Van der Waals interactions, electrostatic interactions, and hydrogen bonds.

What is the significance of the 'lock-and-key' model in molecular recognition?

It illustrates the structural complementarity between interacting molecules, as proposed by Emil Fisher.

Why are 3D structures important in drug design?

They provide insight into how to design molecules that will optimally interact with macromolecules to trigger or block specific biological actions.

What characterizes the relationship between structure and function in proteins?

The presence of specific structural motifs can give important clues about the protein's functional roles.