The use of sequence and structure databanks is examined in relation to their application in some of the main branches of protein studies. Also the question of availability is addressed by means of presenting some information on current sequence and structure databanks. Increasingly research in molecular science requires joint access to both sequence and structure databases, and the reasons for this development, together with some of the methods for integrated access, are analysed.

Governments play a major role in molecular database development. They are deeply committed to science infrastructure and research funding, and can influence international agreements crucial to successful collaboration. The driving force, however, comes from private companies, particularly but not solely pharmaceutical companies. Recent developments suggest that a satisfactory balance between public and private involvement has not yet been found. The criticism is often that big business is milking public funds. Yet the economic structure of private companies in the molecular database industry is very fragile: these companies are insignificant in size compared to their relatively uncaring parent companies, and recent sweeping changes which are beginning a major transformation of the online industry together with copyright, patent, and monopoly questions, could threaten this important source of scientific information. The threat might be felt in terms of an effect upon data quality or upon the quality of new database types which are crucial for handling the vast quantities of information. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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