1. Preamble

The biological molecules responsible for all cellular life are very large heteropolymers belonging to two families: proteins and nucleic acids. Biological processes are the result of complex, dynamic interactions (in space and time) between biological macromolecules, or between macromolecules and small cellular substrates. As the biological function of a given macromolecule is governed by its structure in space (three-dimensional structure), knowledge of three-dimensional structures is a prerequisite for understanding biological functions on an atomic scale.

3D structures are invaluable tools in the study of the complex reactions at the origin of life's mechanisms, and also play an integrating and federating role in the complex, multi-disciplinary process from tumor to drug, covering research fields ranging from integrative genomics to molecular modeling. Knowledge...