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The prediction of protein function at CASP6
Simonetta Soro1, Anna Tramontano1,2
1Department of Biochemical Sciences, University of Rome, "La Sapienza," Rome, Italy.
Proteins
|September 28, 2005
Summary
The CASP6 experiment introduced function prediction for unknown proteins. A consensus prediction was possible in some cases, but method descriptions are needed for reliable results.
Area of Science:
- Structural bioinformatics
- Computational biology
- Protein function prediction
Background:
- The CASP6 experiment introduced a new category for "Function Prediction".
- Many CASP targets were proteins of unknown function, necessitating prediction efforts.
- Assessing functional predictions presents unique challenges compared to structure prediction.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe the setup and results of the CASP6 "Function Prediction" category.
- To highlight lessons learned from the experiment regarding protein function prediction.
- To suggest improvements for future CASP rounds focusing on functional annotation.
Main Methods:
- Participants were tasked with providing functional information for CASP targets.
- Analysis of prediction outcomes and comparison of methods used.
- Evaluation of consensus predictions among participating groups.
Main Results:
- A consensus functional prediction was achievable for a subset of unknown targets.
- The novelty of the experiment and challenges in defining protein function were encountered.
- Limited participation from groups was noted, impacting the scope of results.
Conclusions:
- The CASP6 function prediction experiment yielded valuable insights despite limitations.
- Making prediction methods transparent is crucial for assessing reliability.
- Future CASP rounds can benefit from refined formats and broader participation for functional annotation.