Epigenetics Research: Open Access
Open Access

Homology Modelling

Homology modelling has become a useful tool for the prediction of protein structure when only sequence data are available. Structural information is often more valuable than sequence alone for determining protein function. Homology modelling is potentially a very useful tool for the mycologist, as the number of fungal gene sequences available has exploded in recent years, whilst the number of experimentally determined fungal protein structures remains low. Programs available for homology modelling utilise different approaches and methods to produce the final model. Within each step of the homology modelling process, many factors affect the quality of the model produced, and appropriate selection of the program can significantly improve the quality of the model. This review discusses the advantages and limitations of the currently available methods and programs and provides a starting point for novices wishing to create a structural model. We have taken a practical approach as we hope to enable any scientist to utilise homology modelling as a tool for the analysis of their protein, or genome, of interest.