BLOSUM matrices

BLOSUM matrices are tools used in bioinformatics to compare protein sequences. They assign scores to pairs of amino acids based on how often they naturally occur together in related proteins. A higher score means the amino acids are more commonly found or similar, indicating a likely functional or evolutionary relationship. These matrices help scientists identify similarities between proteins, understand their functions, and predict how mutations might affect them. Essentially, BLOSUM matrices quantify the likelihood that certain amino acids substitute for each other over evolutionary time, aiding in accurate protein sequence comparisons.