Publications
2021
Westhof E, Leontis N B
An RNA-centric historical narrative around the Protein Data Bank Journal Article
In: J Biol Chem, vol. 296, pp. 100555, 2021, ISBN: 33744291, (1083-351X (Electronic) 0021-9258 (Linking) Journal Article Review).
Abstract | Links | BibTeX | Tags: Computational Biology, Databases, modelling, Protein Data Bank, RNA, Structural biology, Unité ARN, WESTHOF
@article{Westhof2021,
title = {An RNA-centric historical narrative around the Protein Data Bank},
author = {E Westhof and N B Leontis},
url = {http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&dopt=Citation&list_uids=33744291},
doi = {10.1016/j.jbc.2021.100555},
isbn = {33744291},
year = {2021},
date = {2021-01-01},
urldate = {2021-01-01},
journal = {J Biol Chem},
volume = {296},
pages = {100555},
abstract = {Some of the amazing contributions brought to the scientific community by the PDB are described. The focus is on nucleic acid structures with a bias towards RNA. The evolution and key roles in science of the PDB and other structural databases for nucleic acids illustrate how small initial ideas can become huge and indispensable resources with the unflinching willingness of scientists to cooperate globally. The progress in the understanding of the molecular interactions driving RNA architectures followed the rapid increase in RNA structures in the PDB. That increase was consecutive to improvements in chemical synthesis and purification of RNA molecules, as well as in biophysical methods for structure determination and computer technology. The RNA modeling efforts from the early beginnings are also described together with their links to the state of structural knowledge and technological development. Structures of RNA and of its assemblies are physical objects which, together with genomic data, allow us to integrate present-day biological functions and the historical evolution in all living species on earth.},
note = {1083-351X (Electronic)
0021-9258 (Linking)
Journal Article
Review},
keywords = {Computational Biology, Databases, modelling, Protein Data Bank, RNA, Structural biology, Unité ARN, WESTHOF},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
Some of the amazing contributions brought to the scientific community by the PDB are described. The focus is on nucleic acid structures with a bias towards RNA. The evolution and key roles in science of the PDB and other structural databases for nucleic acids illustrate how small initial ideas can become huge and indispensable resources with the unflinching willingness of scientists to cooperate globally. The progress in the understanding of the molecular interactions driving RNA architectures followed the rapid increase in RNA structures in the PDB. That increase was consecutive to improvements in chemical synthesis and purification of RNA molecules, as well as in biophysical methods for structure determination and computer technology. The RNA modeling efforts from the early beginnings are also described together with their links to the state of structural knowledge and technological development. Structures of RNA and of its assemblies are physical objects which, together with genomic data, allow us to integrate present-day biological functions and the historical evolution in all living species on earth.