Nature头条：AlphaFold2问世五周年！荣获诺奖，预测数亿蛋白结构，它改变了科学研究

Core Insights - AlphaFold2, developed by Google DeepMind, has revolutionized scientific research by enabling accurate predictions of protein structures based solely on amino acid sequences since its launch in November 2020 [1][4][7]. Group 1: Impact on Scientific Research - Over the past five years, AlphaFold2 has assisted researchers worldwide in predicting millions of protein structures, marking a second renaissance in structural biology [7]. - The tool has significantly accelerated discovery processes, with researchers like Andrea Pauli stating that every project now utilizes AlphaFold [12]. - The Nature paper describing AlphaFold2 has garnered nearly 40,000 citations, indicating sustained interest from the scientific community [12]. Group 2: Applications and Discoveries - AlphaFold-Multimer, an extension of AlphaFold2, has enabled the discovery of three critical proteins involved in fertilization, challenging previous assumptions about the simplicity of sperm-egg interactions [8][10]. - The TMEM81-IZUMO1-SPACA6 protein complex plays a vital role in mediating sperm-egg binding, highlighting the complexity of fertilization mechanisms [10]. Group 3: User Engagement and Accessibility - AlphaFold has been accessed by approximately 3.3 million users across over 190 countries, with more than 1 million users from low- and middle-income countries, showcasing its global reach and accessibility [15]. - The AlphaFold database (AFDB) contains over 240 million predicted protein structures, covering nearly all known proteins on Earth [15]. Group 4: Influence on Structural Biology and Computational Biology - Researchers using AlphaFold have submitted about 50% more protein structures to the Protein Data Bank (PDB) compared to those who did not use the tool [18]. - AlphaFold has opened new research directions in computational biology, including AI-assisted drug discovery and protein design, leading to increased funding and interest in these areas [21]. Group 5: Future Prospects - AlphaFold2 is expected to aid in understanding disease mechanisms and potentially lead to new therapies, with AlphaFold3 anticipated to enhance drug discovery capabilities [24].