SURFMAP

SURFMAP generates two-dimensional projections of protein surface properties from PDB structures and descriptors (including values encoded in the temperature factor/B-factor column) to enable quantitative molecular cartography and comparative analysis.

Key Features:

• Automated 2D Projection: Generates 2D maps from protein surface coordinates to represent surface descriptors on a planar grid.
• Predefined Surface Features: Supports projection of electrostatic potential, Kyte-Doolittle hydrophobicity, stickiness, and surface relief.
• Custom Descriptors: Accepts any descriptor encoded in the temperature factor/B-factor column of PDB files for projection.
• Projection Methodology: Uses a pseudo-cylindrical sinusoidal "equal-area" projection that preserves area measures for accurate surface representation.
• Output Format: Produces 2D maps in text file format suitable for quantitative comparison across structures.

Scientific Applications:

• Protein Surface Analysis: Facilitates visual and quantitative examination of surface properties relevant to structure and function.
• Comparative Studies: Enables quantitative comparison of 2D surface representations across homologous proteins to support evolutionary and functional annotation analyses.

Methodology:

SURFMAP projects protein surface descriptors (including those in the temperature factor/B-factor column of PDB files) onto a pseudo-cylindrical sinusoidal "equal-area" 2D projection and outputs the resulting maps as text files.