| Predicting protein structures with a multiplayer online game. | |
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MedLine Citation:
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PMID: 20686574 Owner: NLM Status: MEDLINE |
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
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People exert large amounts of problem-solving effort playing computer games. Simple image- and text-recognition tasks have been successfully 'crowd-sourced' through games, but it is not clear if more complex scientific problems can be solved with human-directed computing. Protein structure prediction is one such problem: locating the biologically relevant native conformation of a protein is a formidable computational challenge given the very large size of the search space. Here we describe Foldit, a multiplayer online game that engages non-scientists in solving hard prediction problems. Foldit players interact with protein structures using direct manipulation tools and user-friendly versions of algorithms from the Rosetta structure prediction methodology, while they compete and collaborate to optimize the computed energy. We show that top-ranked Foldit players excel at solving challenging structure refinement problems in which substantial backbone rearrangements are necessary to achieve the burial of hydrophobic residues. Players working collaboratively develop a rich assortment of new strategies and algorithms; unlike computational approaches, they explore not only the conformational space but also the space of possible search strategies. The integration of human visual problem-solving and strategy development capabilities with traditional computational algorithms through interactive multiplayer games is a powerful new approach to solving computationally-limited scientific problems. |
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Authors:
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Seth Cooper; Firas Khatib; Adrien Treuille; Janos Barbero; Jeehyung Lee; Michael Beenen; Andrew Leaver-Fay; David Baker; Zoran Popović; Foldit Players |
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Publication Detail:
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Type: Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't; Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S. |
Journal Detail:
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Title: Nature Volume: 466 ISSN: 1476-4687 ISO Abbreviation: Nature Publication Date: 2010 Aug |
Date Detail:
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Created Date: 2010-08-05 Completed Date: 2010-09-24 Revised Date: 2011-07-22 |
Medline Journal Info:
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Nlm Unique ID: 0410462 Medline TA: Nature Country: England |
Other Details:
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Languages: eng Pagination: 756-60 Citation Subset: IM |
Affiliation:
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Department of Computer Science and Engineering, University of Washington, Box 352350, Seattle, Washington 98195, USA. |
Export Citation:
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APA/MLA Format Download EndNote Download BibTex |
| MeSH Terms | |
Descriptor/Qualifier:
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Algorithms Computational Biology / methods* Computer Graphics Computer Simulation Cooperative Behavior Cues Games, Experimental* Group Processes* Humans Hydrogen Bonding Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions Imaging, Three-Dimensional Internet* Leisure Activities Models, Molecular Nuclear Magnetic Resonance, Biomolecular Photic Stimulation Problem Solving* Protein Conformation Protein Folding* Proteins / chemistry*, metabolism Stochastic Processes Thermodynamics |
| Grant Support | |
ID/Acronym/Agency:
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//Howard Hughes Medical Institute; //Howard Hughes Medical Institute |
| Chemical | |
Reg. No./Substance:
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0/Proteins |
| Comments/Corrections | |
From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine
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