RCSB

RCSB stands for Research Collaboratory for Structural Bioinformatics. It is a United States–based organization that maintains the Protein Data Bank (PDB) resource and related software tools for the global structural biology community. The RCSB PDB portal provides public access to three-dimensional structural data of biological macromolecules, including proteins, nucleic acids, and complexes, together with metadata, validation reports, and downloadable data files.

RCSB PDB is a member of the Worldwide Protein Data Bank (wwPDB) collaboration, a consortium that coordinates deposition, validation, and access to PDB data across multiple regional centers. Through this network, RCSB ensures consistent data formats and unified access worldwide, alongside partner centers such as PDBe (Europe) and PDBj (Japan).

The RCSB PDB site offers tools for discovery and analysis, including an advanced search facility, browsing by molecule or organism, and integrated 3D visualization. It supports data deposition and validation workflows for researchers submitting structures, provides programmatic access via APIs, and hosts resources for education and outreach. In addition, it hosts PDB-Dev, an initiative for integrative or hybrid structural models.

Impact: RCSB PDB serves researchers, educators, and students, supporting structural biology research, drug discovery, and molecular visualization by making high-quality structural data openly available.

History: The Protein Data Bank originated in 1971. The RCSB organization emerged in the early 2000s to coordinate PDB data in North America and to participate in the wwPDB, formed in 2003 to coordinate global deposition and access.