COILS

COILS is a program that compares a sequence to a database of known parallel two-stranded coiled-coils and derives a similarity score. By comparing this score to the distribution of scores in globular and coiled-coil proteins, the program then calculates the probability that the sequence will adopt a coiled-coil conformation. COILS is specific for solvent-exposed, left-handed coiled coils. Other types of coiled-coil structure, such as buried coiled coils (e.g the central coiled coil in catabolite repressor protein, or some transmembrane domains) and right-handed coiled coils, are not detected by the program.