Rating: Excellent
Strong Points: Several different ways to search for proteins, many additional references provided
Weak Points: Nothing major
Our knowledge about the 3D structures of proteins has exploded over the last few decades, and there are many programs that allow for detailed viewing of these full structures. However, these programs can take up a lot of computing power and may provide more details than necessary for a given application. PDBsum, from the European Molecular Biology Laboratory, provides a great alternative. The database compiles 3D overviews of all structures submitted to the EMBL Protein Data Bank. Users can search for structures by the protein’s database code, name, or sequence. The website then provides a brief overview and image of the protein’s 3D structure, in addition to its name, function, and the original reference describing the structure. There is also a list of additional references provided for users who want to do further reading on a particular protein. PDBsum is a great alternative to computationally heavy 3D protein viewers and provides a wealth of information about protein structure through easily loaded overviews.
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