Biology subjects

Sobolev, O. V.

Publications and source records attributed to Sobolev, O. V..

8 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2021

A mosaic bulk-solvent model improves density maps and the fit between model and data

Bulk solvent is a major component of bio-macromolecular crystals and therefore contributes significantly to diffraction intensities. Accurate modeling of the bulk-solvent region has been recognized as important for many crystallographic calculations, from computing of R-factors and density maps to model building and refinement. Owing to its simplicity and computational and modeling power, the flat (mask-based) bulk-solvent model introduced by Jiang & Brunger (1994) is used by most modern crystallographic software packages to account for disordered solvent. In this manuscript we describe further developments of the mask-based model that improves the fit between the model and the data and aids in map interpretation. The new algorithm, here referred to as mosaic bulk-solvent model, considers solvent variation across the unit cell. The mosaic model is implemented in the computational crystallography toolbox and can be used in Phenix in most contexts where accounting for bulk-solvent is required. It has been optimized and validated using a sufficiently large subset of the Protein Data Bank entries that have crystallographic data available. SynopsisA mosaic bulk-solvent method models disordered solvent more accurately than current flat bulk solvent model. This improves the fit between the model and the data, improves map quality and allows for the solution of problems previously inaccessible.

bioinformatics↗

bioRxiv2020

Real-space quantum-based refinement for cryo-EM: Q|R#3

Electron cryo-microscopy (cryo-EM) is fast becoming a major competitor to X-ray crystallography especially for large structures that are difficult or impossible to crystallize. While recent spectacular technology improvements are leading to significantly higher resolution of three-dimensional reconstructions, the average quality of cryo-EM maps is still on the low-resolution end of the range compared to crystallography. A long-standing challenge for atomic model refinement has been the production of stereochemically meaningful models for this resolution regime. Here we demonstrate how including accurate model geometry restraints derived from ab initio quantum-chemical calculations (HF-D3/6-31G) can improve the refinements of an example structure (chain A of 3j63). The robustness of the procedure is tested for additional structures with up to 7k atoms (3a5x, and chain C of 5fn5) by means of the less expensive semi-empirical (GFN1-xTB) model. Necessary algorithms enabling real-space quantum refinement are implemented in the latest version of qr.refine and are described herein. SynopsisThe implementation of quantum-based real-space refinement in qr.refine is described.

bioinformatics↗

bioRxiv2020

Density modification of cryo-EM maps

Density modification uses expectations about features of a map such as a flat solvent and expected distributions of density in the region of the macromolecule to improve individual Fourier terms representing the map. This process transfers information from one part of a map to another and can improve the accuracy of a map. Here the assumptions behind density modification for maps from electron cryomicroscopy are examined and a procedure is presented that allows incorporation of model-based information. Density modification works best in cases where unfiltered, unmasked maps with clear boundaries between macromolecule and solvent are visible and where there is substantial noise in the map, both in the region of the macromolecule and the solvent. It also is most effective if the characteristics of the map are relatively constant within regions of the macromolecule and the solvent. Model-based information can be used to improve density modification, but model bias can in principle occur. Here model bias is reduced by using ensemble models that allow estimation of model uncertainty. A test of model bias is presented suggesting that even if the expected density in a region of a map is specified incorrectly by using an incorrect model, the incorrect expectations do not strongly affect the final map. SynopsisThe prerequisites for density modification of maps from electron cryomicroscopy are examined and a procedure for incorporating model-based information is presented.

biochemistry↗

bioRxiv2020

A global Ramachandran score identifies protein structures with unlikely stereochemistry

Ramachandran plots report the distribution of the ({varphi}, {Psi}) torsion angles of the protein backbone and are one of the best quality metrics of experimental structure models. Typically, validation software reports the number of residues belonging to "outlier", "allowed" and "favored" regions. While "zero unexplained outliers" can be considered the current "gold standard", this can be misleading if deviations from expected distributions, even within the favored region, are not considered. We therefore revisited the Ramachandran Z-score (Rama-Z), a quality metric introduced more than two decades ago, but underutilized. We describe a re-implementation of the Rama-Z score in the Computational Crystallography Toolbox along with a new algorithm to estimate its uncertainty for individual models; final implementations are available both in Phenix and in PDB-REDO. We discuss the interpretation of the Rama-Z score and advocate including it in the validation reports provided by the Protein Data Bank. We also advocate reporting it alongside the outlier/allowed/favored counts in structural publications.

biophysics↗

bioRxiv2018

Map segmentation, automated model-building and their application to the Cryo-EM Model Challenge

A recently-developed method for identifying a compact, contiguous region representing the unique part of a density map was applied to 218 cryo-EM maps with resolutions of 4.5 [A] or better. The key elements of the segmentation procedure are (1) identification of all regions of density above a threshold and (2) choice of a unique set of these regions, taking symmetry into consideration, that maximize connectivity and compactness. This segmentation approach was then combined with tools for automated map sharpening and model-building to generate models for the 12 maps in the 2016 cryo-EM model challenge in a fully automated manner. The resulting models have completeness from 24% to 82% and RMS distances from reference interpretations of 0.6 [A] to 2.1 [A].

biophysics↗

bioRxiv2018

New tools for the analysis and validation of Cryo-EM maps and atomic models

Recent advances in the field of electron cryo-microscopy (cryo-EM) have resulted in a rapidly increasing number of atomic models of bio-macromolecules solved using this technique and deposited in the Protein Data Bank and the Electron Microscopy Data Bank. Similar to macromolecular crystallography, validation tools for these models and maps are required. While some of these validation tools may be borrowed from crystallography, new methods specifically for cryo-EM validation are required. We discuss new computational methods and tools implemented in Phenix, including d99 to estimate resolution, phenix.auto_sharpen to improve maps, and phenix.mtriage to analyze cryo-EM maps. We suggest that cryo-EM half-maps and masks are deposited to facilitate evaluation and validation of cryo-EM derived atomic models and maps. We also present the application of these tools to deposited cryo-EM atomic models and maps.

bioinformatics↗

bioRxiv2018

A fully automatic method yielding initial models from high-resolution electron cryo-microscopy maps

A fully automated procedure for optimization and interpretation of reconstructions from cryo-EM is developed and applied to 476 datasets with resolution of 4.5 [A] or better, including reconstructions of 47 ribosomes and 32 other protein-RNA complexes. The median fraction of residues in the deposited structures reproduced automatically was 71% for reconstructions determined at resolutions of 3 [A] or better and 47% for those at lower resolution.

biochemistry↗

bioRxiv2018

Real-space refinement in Phenix for cryo-EM and crystallography

This article describes the implementation of real-space refinement in the phenix.real_space_refine program from the Phenix suite. Use of a simplified refinement target function enables fast calculation, which in turn makes it possible to identify optimal data-restraints weight as part of routine refinements with little runtime cost. Refinement of atomic models against low-resolution data benefits from the inclusion of as much additional information as is available. In addition to standard restraints on covalent geometry, phenix.real_space_refine makes use of extra information such as secondary-structure and rotamer-specific restraints, as well as restraints or constraints on internal molecular symmetry. Re-refinement of 385 cryo-EM derived models available in the PDB at resolutions of 6 [A] or better shows significant improvement of models and the fit of these models to the target maps.\n\nSynopsisA description of the implementation of real-space refinement in the phenix.real_space_refine program from the Phenix suite and its application to re-refinement of cryo-EM derived models.

bioinformatics↗