Quod erat demonstrandum? The mystery of experimental validation of apparently erroneous computational analyses of protein sequences.

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND:Computational predictions are critical for directing the experimental study of protein functions. Therefore it is paradoxical when an apparently erroneous computational prediction seems to be supported by experiment. RESULTS:We analyzed six cases where application of novel or conventional computational methods for protein sequence and structure analysis led to non-trivial predictions that were subsequently supported by direct experiments. We show that, on all six occasions, the original prediction was unjustified, and in at least three cases, an alternative, well-supported computational prediction, incompatible with the original one, could be derived. The most unusual cases involved the identification of an archaeal cysteinyl-tRNA synthetase, a dihydropteroate synthase and a thy

SUBMITTER: Iyer LM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC64836 | biostudies-literature | 2001

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature