Challenges and future directions in protein structure prediction: lessons from AlphaFold’s evolution
Institute of Bioinformatics and Medical Engineering, Jiangsu University of Technology, Changzhou 213001, China
  • Volume
  • Citation
    Xie L. Challenges and future directions in protein structure prediction: lessons from AlphaFold’s evolution. Biomed. Inform. 2025(2):0007, https://doi.org/10.55092/bi20250005. 
  • DOI
    10.55092/bi20250005
  • Copyright
    Copyright2025 by the authors. Published by ELSP.
Abstract

Protein structure prediction methods, exemplified by AlphaFold, have achieved near-experimental accuracy in predicting protein structures. AlphaFold has been widely applied in scientific fields, such as life sciences, synthetic biology, drug discovery, and materials design. This article provides a systematic overview of the major advances in protein structure prediction, focusing on the technical evolution of AlphaFold and its limitations in predicting dynamic conformational changes, complex interactions, and conformations under non-native conditions. Based on this analysis, key challenges in the current field are identified, and potential strategies to address these issues are proposed. The review offers perspectives on future directions for improving protein structure prediction research, providing insights for subsequent methodological enhancements and broader applications.

Keywords

AlphaFold; protein structure prediction; molecular dynamics; interaction prediction

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