Artificial Intelligence tools shed light on millions of proteins

In the past years, AlphaFold has revolutionised protein science. This Artificial Intelligence (AI) tool was trained on protein data collected by life scientists for over 50 years, and is able to predict the 3D shape of proteins with high accuracy. Its success prompted the modelling of an astounding 215 million proteins last year, providing insights into the shapes of almost any protein. This is particularly interesting for proteins that have not been studied experimentally, a complex and time-consuming process. "There are now many sources of protein information, containing valuable insights into how proteins evolve and work" says Joana Pereira, the leader of the study.