Researchers have developed a new informatics technology that analyzes existing data repositories of protein modifications and 3D protein structures to help scientists identify and target research on “hotspots” most likely to be important for biological function.
Known as SAPH-ire (Structural Analysis of PTM Hotspots), the tool could accelerate the search for potential new drug targets on protein structures, and lead to a better understanding of how proteins communicate with one another inside cells. SAPH-ire has been tested on a well-studied class of proteins involved in cellular communication, where it correctly predicted a previously-unknown regulatory element
