Add DockQ v2 protein complex interface quality scoring
@sudekaraoglan is already working on this.
Since Mar 13, 2026.
- Dominant language
- HTML
- Stars
- 115
- Forks
- 75
- PR merge metrics
- No merged PRs in 30d
Description
Description of feature
Summary
This issue proposes adding DockQ v2 as a new interface quality scoring module
This work will be started during the nf-core Hackathon March 2026.
Background
When predicting protein complexes (co-folding), it is not sufficient to evaluate
the overall structural accuracy - the quality of the binding interface between
the two proteins is equally important, as this is where biological function occurs.
DockQ v2 addresses this by providing:
- iRMSD — interface RMSD (accuracy at the contact surface)
- LRMSD — ligand RMSD (accuracy of the smaller chain)
- fnat — fraction of native contacts correctly predicted
- DockQ score — single combined interface quality score (0 to 1)
This makes DockQ v2 a natural complement to US-align (Issue #515):
US-align evaluates global structure, DockQ evaluates the binding interface specifically.
Proposed implementation
- No official Docker image exists — custom Dockerfile required
- Install via pip:
pip install DockQ - Source: https://github.com/bjornwallner/DockQ
- Input: predicted complex PDB + reference complex PDB
- Output: iRMSD, LRMSD, fnat, DockQ score
- New nf-core module:
dockq/score
Resources
- DockQ v2 source: https://github.com/bjornwallner/DockQ
- DockQ v2 paper: https://journals.plos.org/ploscompbiol/article?id=10.1371/journal.pcbi.1011474
Tasks
- Write custom Dockerfile for DockQ v2
- Push image to GitHub Container Registry or Docker Hub
- Write nf-core module for
dockq/score - Connect as optional evaluation step after co-folding
- Test with predicted vs reference complex PDB pair
- Document usage in pipeline README
Contributor guide
First steps
- Read the whole issue, then the project's contributing guide.
- Comment on the issue to say you are picking it up — it saves two people doing the same work.
- Fork the repository and make your change on a branch.
- Open a pull request that references the issue number.
Assessment
This issue has not been assessed yet.