We present a detailed heuristic method to quantify the degree of local energetic frustration manifested by protein molecules. Current applications are realized in computational experiments where a protein structure is visualized highlighting the energetic conflicts or the concordance of the local interactions in that structure. Minimally frustrated linkages highlight the stable folding core of the molecule. Sites of high local frustration, in contrast, often indicate functionally relevant regions such as binding, active, or allosteric sites.
Keywords: Local frustration; Protein folding; Protein function.
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