X-ray structure of HI0817 from Haemophilus influenzae: protein of unknown function with a novel fold.

Abstract

The enormous amount of sequence data isbeing derived from 160 completed genomes (http://www.cbs.dtu.dk/services/GenomeAtlas/index.php) andfrom over 170 genome sequencing projects in progress(http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/genomes/MICROBES/InProgress.html). For many protein sequences, which areannotated as “hypothetical proteins,” neither a functionnor a three-dimensional structure is available. The deter-mination of the structures and functions of these proteinsoffer the basis for important discoveries such as newantibacterial drug targets and a better understanding ofcellularprocesses.OurexperiencewithStructuralGenom-ics of 43 such proteins reveals an enrichment of novel foldscompared with the general set of proteins entering theProtein Data Bank (PDB).As of this writing, the