Fast, Comprehensive, and User Customizable Macromolecule Interface Analysis with FACE2FACE

Structural analysis of interfaces in macromolecular complexes is crucial to unveiling the mechanisms underlying molecular recognition. While several valuable computational tools exist for interface analysis, many web-based tools have limitations in input types, analysis comprehensiveness, or output customization, and there remains a need for an immediately accessible solution requiring no software installation, especially for users with limited computational skills. We have developed FACE2FACE, a user-friendly, fast, and comprehensive tool available as a web server for macromolecule interface analysis. FACE2FACE analyzes interfaces between proteins, nucleic acids, and other biological macromolecules or small molecules, providing extensive information that can be instantly visualized on the server interface and easily downloaded. The downloaded materials comprise files in formats that can be easily parsed and imported in spreadsheet applications as customizable contact maps and scripts to quickly visualize interface features in widely used applications such as PyMol and ChimeraX. Examples of FACE2FACE contributions to research projects are described.