Editing Sequence analysis (section)

== Protein structure prediction ==
{{Main|Threading (protein sequence)}}

[[File:Target3dsmRib 354predictedModels CASP8.jpg|thumb|Target protein structure (3dsm, shown in ribbons), with Calpha backbones (in gray) of 354 predicted models for it submitted in the CASP8 structure-prediction experiment.|250px|right]]

The 3D structures of molecules are of major importance to their functions in nature. Since structural prediction of large molecules at an atomic level is a largely intractable problem, some biologists introduced ways to predict 3D structure at a primary sequence level. This includes the biochemical or statistical analysis of amino acid residues in local regions and structural the inference from homologs (or other potentially related proteins) with known 3D structures.

There have been a large number of diverse approaches to solve the structure prediction problem.  In order to determine which methods were most effective, a structure prediction competition was founded called [[CASP]] (Critical Assessment of Structure Prediction).<ref name="pmid9485489">{{cite journal |author1=Moult J |author2=Hubbard T |author3=Bryant SH |author4=Fidelis K |author5=Pedersen JT |title=Critical assessment of methods of protein structure prediction (CASP): round II |journal=Proteins |volume=Suppl 1 |pages=2–6 |year=1997 |issue=S1 |pmid=9485489 |doi= 10.1002/(SICI)1097-0134(1997)1+<2::AID-PROT2>3.0.CO;2-T|s2cid=26823924 }}</ref>