Exactly fifty years from now i.e. in the year 1963, G. N. Ramachandran et. al published breakthrough original research in Journal of Molecular Biology. Ramachandran plot still remains a touchstone for protein form and structure (for example, its use in validating homology models). This plot is remarkable because it came ahead of time. It was proposed in 1963 when there were no computers, mechanical calculators were the cutting edge of technology!
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Backbone conformations of: (A) glycine and (B) pre-proline. Backbone schematic and observed Ramachandran plot of (A) glycine and (B) pre-proline. Taken from the data-set of Lovell et al. (2003). The clustered regions are labeled on the Ramachandran plots. |
Late Prof. Ramachandran (affectionately called GNR) established Molecular Biophysics Unit (MBU) at Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Banglore in 1971. Following the footsteps of his mentor Dr. C.V. Raman, G. N. Ramachandran carried out most of his research in India. To mark the celebration of 50 years of Ramachandran map MBU organized "International Conference on Biomolecular Forms and Fuctions" from 8th - 11th January 2013. (official website: http://icbff2013.com/)
Several eminent scientists including Professor Tom Blundell and Professor J. Andrew McCammon delivered their talk during the conference.
Some interesting references:
1. Kleywegt GJ, Jones TA. Phi/psi-chology: Ramachandran revisited. Structure. 1996 Dec 15;4(12):1395-400. PubMed PMID: 8994966.
2. Lovell SC, Davis IW, Arendall WB 3rd, de Bakker PI, Word JM, Prisant MG, Richardson JS, Richardson DC. Structure validation by Calpha geometry: phi,psi and Cbeta deviation. Proteins. 2003 Feb 15;50(3):437-50. PubMed PMID: 12557186.
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