title: PRED(TAP): a system for prediction of peptide binding to the human transporter associated with antigen processing.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The transporter associated with antigen processing (TAP) is a critical component of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I antigen processing and presentation pathway. TAP transports antigenic peptides into the endoplasmic reticulum where it loads them into the binding groove of MHC class I molecules. Because peptides must first be transported by TAP in order to be presented on MHC class I, TAP binding preferences should impact significantly on T-cell epitope selection.
  
  
  METHODS
  PRED(TAP) is a computational system that predicts peptide binding to human TAP. It uses artificial neural networks and hidden Markov models as predictive engines. Extensive testing was performed to valid the prediction models. The results showed that PRED(TAP) was both sensitive and specific and had good predictive ability (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve Aroc>0.85).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  PRED(TAP) can be integrated with prediction systems for MHC class I binding peptides for improved performance of in silico prediction of T-cell epitopes. PRED(TAP) is available for public use at [1].
authors.affiliation: Institute for Infocomm Research, 21 Heng Mui Keng Terrace, 119613, Singapore. guanglan@i2r.a-star.edu.sg
authors.forename: Guang Lan
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Nikolai
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Petrovsky
authors.forename: Chee Keong
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Kwoh
authors.forename: J Thomas
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: August
authors.forename: Vladimir
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Brusic