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Updated: Jun 13, 2025

A Protocol for Computer-Based Protein Structure and Function Prediction
Published on: November 3, 2011
AARS Online: A collaborative database on the structure, function, and evolution of the aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases
Jordan Douglas1,2, Haissi Cui3, John J Perona4
1Department of Physics, University of Auckland, New Zealand.
Abstract:
The aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases (aaRS) are a large group of enzymes that implement the genetic code in all known biological systems. They attach amino acids to their cognate tRNAs, moonlight in various translational and non-translational activities beyond aminoacylation, and are linked to many genetic disorders. The aaRS have a subtle ontology characterized by structural and functional idiosyncrasies that vary from organism to organism, and protein to protein. Across the tree of life, the 22 coded amino acids are handled by 16 evolutionary families of Class I aaRS and 21 families of Class II aaRS. We introduce AARS Online, an interactive Wikipedia-like tool curated by an international consortium of field experts. This platform systematizes existing knowledge about the aaRS by showcasing a taxonomically diverse selection of aaRS sequences and structures. Through its graphical user interface, AARS Online facilitates a seamless exploration between protein sequence and structure, providing a friendly introduction to the material for non-experts and a useful resource for experts. Curated multiple sequence alignments can be extracted for downstream analyses. Accessible at www.aars.online, AARS Online is a free resource to delve into the world of the aaRS.
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