A PROLOG approach to analysing protein structure

This paper provides a detailed description of a database of protein structure implemented in the logic programming language PROLOG. The database allows flexible access to structural information at the atom, residue, secondary structure and topology levels of the protein structural hierarchy. An extended version of the Kabsch and Sander algorithm for secondary structure definition has been implemented in PROLOG, forming an integral part of the database. For protein structure analysis, the PROLOG system shows significant advantages in flexibility over conventional programming languages such as Fortran, and Relational Database Management Systems using SQL.