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. 2002 Sep 1;30(17):3894–3900. doi: 10.1093/nar/gkf493

Table 1. Rules used by PolyPhen to predict effect of nsSNPs on protein function and structure.

Rules (connected with logical AND) Prediction
PSIC score difference Δ Substitution site properties Substitution type properties  
Arbitrary Annotated as a functionala or     bond formationb site Arbitrary Probably damaging
Not considered In a region annotated or predicted as     transmembrane PHAT matrix difference resulting     from substitution is negative Possibly damaging
Δ ≤ 0.5 Arbitrary Arbitrary Benign
Δ > 1.0 Atoms are closer than 3.0 Å to atoms     of a ligand or residue annotated as BINDING, ACT_SITE, LIPID, METAL Arbitrary Probably damaging
0.5 < Δ ≤ 1.5 Normed accessibility ACC ≤ 15% Absolute change of accessible     surface propensity is ≥0.75 or     absolute change of side chain volume is ≥60 Possibly damaging
  Normed accessibility ACC ≤ 5% Absolute change of accessible     surface propensity is ≥1.0 or     absolute change of side chain volume is ≥80 Probably damaging
1.5<Δ ≤ 2.0 Arbitrary Arbitrary Possibly damaging
Δ > 2.0 Arbitrary Arbitrary Probably damaging

One row corresponds to one rule, which may consist of several parts connected by logical AND. For a given substitution, all rules are tried one by one, resulting in prediction of functional effect: benign, possibly damaging or probably damaging. If no evidence for a damaging effect is seen, substitution is considered benign.

aBINDING, ACT_SITE, SITE, MOD_RES, LIPID, METAL, SE_CYS (SwissProt feature table terms).

bDISULFID, THIOLEST, THIOETH (SwissProt feature table terms).