A normalized root-mean-square distance for comparing protein three-dimensional structures

Protein Sci. 2001 Jul;10(7):1470-3. doi: 10.1110/ps.690101.

Abstract

The degree of similarity of two protein three-dimensional structures is usually measured with the root-mean-square distance between equivalent atom pairs. Such a similarity measure depends on the dimension of the proteins, that is, on the number of equivalent atom pairs. The present communication presents a simple procedure to make the root-mean-square distances between pairs of three-dimensional structures independent of their dimensions. This normalization may be useful in evolutionary and fold classification studies as well as in simple comparisons between different structural models.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study

MeSH terms

  • Algorithms
  • Animals
  • Databases, Factual
  • Humans
  • Models, Molecular*
  • Protein Conformation
  • Protein Structure, Tertiary
  • Proteins / chemistry*

Substances

  • Proteins