NABhClassifier Server: A Tool for the Identification of Helical Nucleic Acid-Binding Sequences in Proteins

Engineered proteins
capable of binding and transporting
nucleic
acids hold significant potential for advancing disease control in
both the medical and agricultural fields. However, identifying small
nucleic acid-binding domains remains challenging, as existing predictors
primarily classify entire proteins as binders or nonbinders rather
than targeting specific binding regions. Here, we introduce NABhClassifier,
a highly efficient and precise web server designed to detect small
helical sequences with nucleic acid-binding potential. Featuring an
intuitive interface and a fully automated prediction pipeline, NABhClassifier
integrates eight machine learning models for rapid analysis, delivering
results in seconds per protein sequence. Predictions are summarized
in the NABh index, a consensus score that combines outputs from all
models for enhanced reliability. The server’s accuracy has
been validated on data sets of DNA-binding and single- and double-stranded
RNA-binding proteins from various species. NABhClassifier provides
a powerful tool for identifying small helices with nucleic acid-binding
capacity, facilitating the discovery of novel biotechnological applications.
The server, along with tutorials, is freely accessible at http://143.54.25.149.