Structural genomics projects aim to provide an experimental or computational threedimensional
model structure for all of the tractable macromolecules that are encoded by
complete genomes. To this end, pilot centres worldwide are now exploring the feasibility of
large-scale structure determination. Their experimental structures and computational models
are expected to yield insight into the molecular function and mechanism of thousands of
proteins. The pervasiveness of this information is likely to change the use of structure in
molecular biology and biochemistry.