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SOMspec (formerly SSNN, Secondary Structure Neural Network)

SOMspec (Self-Organising Map for spectroscopy), formerly called SSNN, (secondary structure neural network) is a self organising map software used to cluster data from circular dichroism or infrared spectra to estimate protein secondary structures developed by Vincent Hall, Anthony Nash, Alison Rodger (now at Macquarie) and Nikola Chmel.

The performance of SOMspec is at least as good as other available protein CD structure-fitting algorithms and it shows superior performance when the exact protein concentration is unknown. SOMspec can also be used to predict protein secondary structure form infrared and Raman data.

Phosphoglycerate kinase SOMSpec output from 50-protein FTIR film reference set for a relatively poor quality example.SOMspec user interface

Image: (left) Phosphoglycerate kinase SOMSpec output from 50-protein FTIR film reference set for a relatively poor quality example. (right) SOMspec user interface.

Licence:

A free download of the software is available for academic use only. Please contact Nikola Chmel for details.

If you are interested in using the Software commercially, please contact Warwick Ventures Limited ("WVL"), the technology transfer company of the University, to negotiate a licence.