You can download an example JSON file here; here we describe the contents of this example JSON file.
This JSON file consists of a list of dictionaries (even in the case of a single dictionary, a single-element list must be used), with each dictionary containing a job description. Therefore, you can specify multiple jobs in one JSON file.
Each job description contains a job name, a list of PRNG seeds (which can be an empty list for automated random seed assignment), and a list of entities (molecules) to be modeled.
AlphaFold Server JSON files are especially useful for automation of repetitive
modeling jobs (e.g. to screen interactions of one protein with a small number of
others). The easiest way to construct an initial JSON file is to run a modeling
job via AlphaFold Server GUI and use it as a template. AlphaFold Server will
produce a zip file containing modeling results. Inside the zip file you will
find a JSON file named <job_name>_job_request.json
containing the job inputs.
These files offer a convenient starting point for generating new jobs as they
are easily editable in standard text editors or in programming environments like
Google Colab notebooks.
Note that comments are not allowed in JSON files.
name
is a string with the job name. This is how the job will appear as in the job history table.modelSeeds
is a list of strings of uint32 seed values (e.g.["1593933729", "4273"]
). Seeds are used to run the modeling. We recommend providing an empty list, in which case a single random seed will be used. This is the recommended option.sequences
is a list of dictionaries that carry descriptions of the entities (molecules) for modeling.
{
"name": "Test Fold Job Number One",
"modelSeeds": [],
"sequences": [...]
}
Valid entity types mirror those available in the AlphaFold Server web interface:
proteinChain
– used for proteinsdnaSequence
– used for DNA (single strand)rnaSequence
– used for RNA (single strand)ligand
– used for allowed ligandsion
– used for allowed ions
sequence
is a string containing protein sequence; the same limitations as in
the UI are in place, e.g. only letters corresponding to amino acids are allowed,
as defined by IUPAC. Only 20 standard amino acid type are supported.
count
is the number of copies of this protein chain (integer).
glycans
is an optional list of dictionaries that carries descriptions of the
protein glycosylation.
residues
is a string defining glycan. Please refer to the FAQ for the format description and allowed glycans.position
is a position of the amino acid to which the glycan is attached (integer, 1-based indexing).
modifications
is an optional list of dictionaries that carries descriptions of
the post-translational modifications.
ptmType
is a string containing the CCD code of the modification; the same codes are allowed as in the UI.position
is a position of the modified amino acid (integer).- Allowed modifications:
CCD_SEP
,CCD_TPO
,CCD_PTR
,CCD_NEP
,CCD_HIP
,CCD_ALY
,CCD_MLY
,CCD_M3L
,CCD_MLZ
,CCD_2MR
,CCD_AGM
,CCD_MCS
,CCD_HYP
,CCD_HY3
,CCD_LYZ
,CCD_AHB
,CCD_P1L
,CCD_SNN
,CCD_SNC
,CCD_TRF
,CCD_KCR
,CCD_CIR
,CCD_YHA
{
"proteinChain": {
"sequence": "PREACHINGS",
"glycans": [
{
"residues": "NAG(NAG)(BMA)",
"position": 8
},
{
"residues": "BMA",
"position": 10
}
],
"modifications": [
{
"ptmType": "CCD_HY3",
"ptmPosition": 1
},
{
"ptmType": "CCD_P1L",
"ptmPosition": 5
}
],
"count": 1
}
},
{
"proteinChain": {
"sequence": "REACHER",
"count": 1
}
}
Please note that the dnaSequence
type refers to single stranded DNA. If you
wish to model double stranded DNA, please add a second "dnaSequence
", carrying
the sequence of the reverse complement strand.
sequence
is a string containing a DNA sequence; the same limitations as in the
UI are in place, i.e. only letters A, T, G, C are allowed.
count
is a number of copies of this DNA chain (integer).
modifications
is an optional list of dictionaries that carries descriptions of
the DNA chemical modifications.
modificationType
is a string containing CCD code of modification; the same codes are allowed as in the UI.basePosition
is a position of the modified nucleotide (integer).- Allowed modifications:
CCD_5CM
,CCD_C34
,CCD_5HC
,CCD_6OG
,CCD_6MA
,CCD_1CC
,CCD_8OG
,CCD_5FC
,CCD_3DR
{
"dnaSequence": {
"sequence": "GATTACA",
"modifications": [
{
"modificationType": "CCD_6OG",
"basePosition": 1
},
{
"modificationType": "CCD_6MA",
"basePosition": 2
}
],
"count": 1
}
},
{
"dnaSequence": {
"sequence": "TGTAATC",
"count": 1
}
}
sequence
is a string containing RNA sequence (single strand); the same
limitations as in the UI are in place, e.g. only letters A, U, G, C are allowed.
count
is a number of copies of this RNA chain (integer).
modifications
is an optional list of dictionaries that carries descriptions of
the RNA chemical modifications.
modificationType
is a string containing CCD code of modification; the same codes are allowed as in the UI.basePosition
is a position of the modified nucleotide (integer).- Allowed modifications:
CCD_PSU
,CCD_5MC
,CCD_OMC
,CCD_4OC
,CCD_5MU
,CCD_OMU
,CCD_UR3
,CCD_A2M
,CCD_MA6
,CCD_6MZ
,CCD_2MG
,CCD_OMG
,CCD_7MG
,CCD_RSQ
{
"rnaSequence": {
"sequence": "GUAC",
"modifications": [
{
"modificationType": "CCD_2MG",
"basePosition": 1
},
{
"modificationType": "CCD_5MC",
"basePosition": 4
}
],
"count": 1
}
}
ligand
is a string containing the CCD code
of the ligand; the same codes are allowed as in the UI.
count
is the number of copies of this ligand (integer).
Allowed ligands: CCD_ADP
, CCD_ATP
, CCD_AMP
, CCD_GTP
, CCD_GDP
,
CCD_FAD
, CCD_NAD
, CCD_NAP
, CCD_NDP
, CCD_HEM
, CCD_HEC
, CCD_PLM
,
CCD_OLA
, CCD_MYR
, CCD_CIT
, CCD_CLA
, CCD_CHL
, CCD_BCL
, CCD_BCB
{
"ligand": {
"ligand": "CCD_ATP",
"count": 1
}
},
{
"ligand": {
"ligand": "CCD_HEM",
"count": 2
}
}
ion
is a string containing CCD code of the
ion; the same codes are allowed as in the UI. The ion charge is implicitly
specified by the CCD code.
count
is a number of copies of this ion (integer).
Allowed ions: MG
, ZN
, CL
, CA
, NA
, MN
, K
, FE
, CU
, CO
{
"ion": {
"ion": "MG",
"count": 2
}
},
{
"ion": {
"ion": "NA",
"count": 3
}
}
You may specify multiple jobs in one JSON file. This is an example of a simple job request for one protein chain and two copies of the palindromic DNA sequence:
{
"name": "Test Fold Job Number Two",
"modelSeeds": [],
"sequences": [
{
"proteinChain": {
"sequence": "TEACHINGS",
"count": 1
}
},
{
"dnaSequence": {
"sequence": "TAGCTA",
"count": 2
}
}
]
}