The Ebi Macromolecular Structure Database (E-Msd) and Structural Genomics

High throughput structural genomics projects are now underway.These projects will collect comprehensive data on protein structure.The e-msd has contributed to the detailed data representation model(s) and exchange data formats and mechanisms between each step in a structure determination.This model, incorporates the means for making the information reliable, accurate and up to date and to include indicators of reliability.The e-msd recognizes that in order for data to be used efficiently for searches within the database, and have ensured data uniformity in that the meta-description of the data is consistent across all entries.The e-msd not only allows for data harvesting and archival of clean cross referenced structural data, search mechanisms are being developed to allow research workers to for example automatically annotate structure motifs and binding site properties.