The Membrane Protein Data Bank

The Membrane Protein Data Bank (MPDB) is an online, searchable, relational database of structural and functional information on integral, anchored and peripheral membrane proteins and peptides. Data originates from the Protein Data Bank and other databases, and from the literature. Structures are based on X-ray and electron diffraction, nuclear magnetic resonance and cryoelectron microscopy. The MPDB is searchable online by protein characteristic, structure determination method, crystallization technique, detergent, temperature, pH, author, etc. Record entries are hyperlinked to the PDB and Pfam for viewing sequence, three-dimensional structure and domain architecture, and for downloading coordinates. Links to PubMed are also provided. The MPDB is updated weekly in parallel with the Protein Data Bank. Statistical analysis of MPDB records can be performed and viewed online. A summary of the statistics as applied to entries in the MPDB is presented. The data suggest conditions appropriate for crystallization trials with novel membrane proteins. Received 3 August 2005; received after revision 18 September 2005; accepted 26 September 2005 This paper and the Membrane Protein Data Bank celebrate the 20^th anniversary of the landmark paper in Nature (1985, 318: 618–624) describing the first ‘high-resolution’ three-dimensional structure of a membrane protein, the photosynthetic reaction center from Rhodopseudomonas (Blastochloris) viridis.