Complexa Evaluate-PDBs Skill
Score a directory of pre-existing PDB files against the same metrics Proteina-Complexa uses internally. Wraps complexa analysis <evaluate_config> ++sample_storage_path=<dir>: the CLI runs the evaluate step (refold + interface metrics + monomer metrics) and then the analyze step (success thresholds, diversity, pass-rate CSVs). Do not run complexa generate here — the inputs already exist.
What this skill enables
- Re-fold a directory of designed PDBs with AF2 (
colabdesign), RF3 (rf3_latest), ESMFold (esmfold), or Boltz2 (boltz2_default). - Compute binder interface metrics:
i_pAE,min_ipAE,i_pTM,pLDDT, binder/complex scRMSD. - Compute monomer designability (ProteinMPNN-redesigned scRMSD) and codesignability (original sequence refold scRMSD).
- For motif inputs: motif RMSD (CA + all-atom), motif-region designability/codesignability, sequence recovery.
- Aggregate into per-PDB CSVs plus pass-rate summaries using the default thresholds for the
result_type.
Step 1: Pre-flight
Always check GPU / disk / tool binaries before launching a refold job. RF3 and ColabDesign-AF2 are large.
bash .claude/skills/_shared/scripts/preflight.sh
Surface from preflight.json:
gpu.availableandgpu.vram_gb— colabdesign/RF3 need ≥40 GB; ESMFold tolerates ≥24 GB.env.missing_required— must include the keys for the chosen folding backend:colabdesign→AF2_DIRrf3_latest→RF3_CKPT_PATH,RF3_EXEC_PATHesmfold→ ESMFold weights resolvable
tools.{foldseek,mmseqs}— required byaggregation.compute_diversity/compute_mmseqs_diversity(both defaulttrue).
If any required key is missing, route the user to the complexa-setup skill.
Step 2: Identify the design type
Like complexa design, evaluation has one default flow (protein binder) and two extensions (ligand binder, AME). The evaluate config you pass to complexa analysis decides everything else (which metrics, which refolder defaults, which thresholds the analyze step applies).
Default — protein binder
complexa analysis configs/evaluate_from_pdb_dir.yaml \
++sample_storage_path=/abs/path/to/pdbs \
++dataset.task_name=02_PDL1 \
++result_type=protein_binder \
++metric.binder_folding_method=colabdesign \
++metric.inverse_folding_model=soluble_mpnn \
++run_name=eval_pdl1_af2
Use this when the user's PDBs are protein-binder designs (multi-chain, binder is the last chain) or third-party outputs from BindCraft / AlphaProteo / RFdiffusion. Pulls thresholds for protein_binder (i_pAE * 31 ≤ 7.0, pLDDT ≥ 0.9, scRMSD_ca < 1.5 Å).
Extensions — pick the matching config
| Design type | Use the protein-binder default? | Evaluate config | Analyze config | result_type |
Default backend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Protein binder | Yes (default) | configs/evaluate_from_pdb_dir.yaml |
configs/analyze.yaml |
protein_binder |
colabdesign (AF2) |
| Ligand binder (binder + small-molecule) | Same evaluate config, swap 3 overrides | configs/evaluate_from_pdb_dir.yaml |
configs/analyze.yaml |
ligand_binder |
rf3_latest |
| AME / motif + ligand (enzyme outputs) | No — needs motif-aware config | configs/evaluate_ame_from_pdb_dir.yaml |
configs/analyze_motif_binder.yaml |
motif_ligand_binder |
rf3_latest |
| Motif protein binder (standalone) | No — no _from_pdb_dir variant |
configs/evaluate_motif_binder.yaml + ++input_mode=pdb_dir |
configs/analyze_motif_binder.yaml |
motif_protein_binder |
colabdesign / rf3_latest |
Extending to ligand binder (same evaluate config as default, three override swaps):
complexa analysis configs/evaluate_from_pdb_dir.yaml \
++sample_storage_path=/abs/path/to/pdbs \
++dataset.task_name=39_7V11_LIGAND \
++result_type=ligand_binder \
++metric.binder_folding_method=rf3_latest \
++metric.inverse_folding_model=ligand_mpnn \
++run_name=eval_v11_rf3
Extending to AME (different config; ligand auto-completion gotcha — see Step 4):
complexa analysis configs/evaluate_ame_from_pdb_dir.yaml \
++sample_storage_path=/abs/path/to/pdbs \
++dataset.task_name=M0096_1chm \
++run_name=eval_ame_chm
See reference/eval_configs.md for the full matrix (every result_type, every threshold default, every supported folding backend, motif-protein-binder variant).
Step 3: Gather inputs (AskUserQuestion)
Ask in one batched AskUserQuestion:
pdb_dir— absolute path to the directory of PDBs to evaluate.- Design type — protein binder / ligand binder / AME (motif + ligand).
- Folding backend —
colabdesign(AF2, protein binders),rf3_latest(ligand / AME),boltz2_default(alternative). - Target / task name — must match a key in
configs/targets/targets_dict.yaml,configs/targets/ligand_targets_dict.yaml, orconfigs/design_tasks/ame_dict_v2.yaml. Required for binder + AME evaluation (needed to identify the target reference and, for AME, the motif contigs). - AME-only: confirm ligand residue name is already renamed to
L:0in every PDB (see Troubleshooting). If not, do that rename first.
Step 4: Run evaluate → analyze
Prefer complexa analysis (the evaluate→analyze chain) — it reuses the same config for both steps and writes a single log dir.
# Protein binder PDB dir, AF2 refold
complexa analysis configs/evaluate_from_pdb_dir.yaml \
++sample_storage_path=/abs/path/to/pdbs \
++dataset.task_name=02_PDL1 \
++metric.binder_folding_method=colabdesign \
++metric.inverse_folding_model=soluble_mpnn \
++result_type=protein_binder \
++run_name=eval_pdl1_af2
For ligand binders flip binder_folding_method=rf3_latest, inverse_folding_model=ligand_mpnn, result_type=ligand_binder. For AME use configs/evaluate_ame_from_pdb_dir.yaml — see reference/eval_configs.md for full worked examples.
If you need to inspect output between stages, run them separately. The configs above are shared between evaluate and analyze:
complexa evaluate configs/evaluate_from_pdb_dir.yaml ++sample_storage_path=/abs/path/to/pdbs ++run_name=eval_pdl1_af2
complexa analyze configs/evaluate_from_pdb_dir.yaml ++run_name=eval_pdl1_af2
Dry-run first if the user is unsure (no GPU work happens; the planned file walk + invocation prints):
complexa analysis configs/evaluate_from_pdb_dir.yaml ++sample_storage_path=/abs/path/to/pdbs ++dryrun=true
Direct module invocation (debug fallback)
complexa evaluate / analyze are subprocess wrappers around the Hydra
modules with logging + parallel job splitting bolted on. To attach a debugger
or run under a profiler, invoke the module directly:
python -m proteinfoundation.evaluate \
--config-path "$(realpath configs)" \
--config-name evaluate_from_pdb_dir \
++sample_storage_path=/abs/path/to/pdbs \
++dataset.task_name=02_PDL1 \
++metric.binder_folding_method=colabdesign \
++run_name=eval_debug
For normal one-shot runs prefer complexa analysis — you get the shared log
dir and a single replayable invocation, instead of having to thread the same
overrides through two python -m calls.
Step 5: Parse results
Output lands under ./evaluation_results/${run_name}/:
- Per-PDB metrics CSV —
*_results_*.csv(one row per input PDB ×sequence_types). - Pass-rate summaries — written by the
analyzestep (e.g.res_designability.csv,res_filter_ligand_pass_*.csv,success_criteria_*.json). - Diversity output — FoldSeek/MMseqs2 cluster files when
aggregation.compute_diversity=true(default).
Summarize to the user:
- Per-PDB row count and number of successful designs vs total.
- Default-threshold pass rate by
result_type(e.g. forprotein_binder:i_pAE*31 <= 7.0 AND pLDDT >= 0.9 AND scRMSD_ca < 1.5). - Top 5 designs by primary metric (
i_pAEfor protein,min_ipAEfor ligand,motif_rmsd_pred_allfor motif binders).
Step 6: Emit manifest
Capture the resolved invocation + outputs for replay.
python3 .claude/skills/_shared/scripts/write_manifest.py \
--output-dir ./evaluation_results/${run_name} \
--command "complexa analysis configs/evaluate_from_pdb_dir.yaml ++sample_storage_path=<dir> ++dataset.task_name=<task> ++metric.binder_folding_method=<backend> ++run_name=<run>" \
--skill complexa-evaluate-pdbs \
--out ./eval_manifest.json
The manifest pins: resolved config, git SHA, ckpt SHA-256s, the result CSV paths, and the user-stated result_type for replay.
Most common overrides
| Override | Effect |
|---|---|
++sample_storage_path=<dir> |
The directory of PDBs to evaluate (required). |
++dataset.task_name=<name> |
Target / AME task name (binders, AME). Resolves target PDB + contigs. |
++metric.binder_folding_method=<backend> |
colabdesign / rf3_latest / boltz2_default. |
++metric.inverse_folding_model=<model> |
protein_mpnn / soluble_mpnn / ligand_mpnn. |
++metric.sequence_types=[self,mpnn,mpnn_fixed] |
Which sequence flavors to refold. |
++metric.num_redesign_seqs=N |
ProteinMPNN/LigandMPNN redesign count. |
++metric.compute_pre_refolding_metrics=true |
Add bioinformatics/TMOL/HBPLUS metrics on the input structures. |
++metric.keep_folding_outputs=true |
Save the refolded PDBs (large, but useful for inspection). |
++result_type=<type> |
Override default thresholds: protein_binder / ligand_binder / motif_protein_binder / motif_ligand_binder. |
++aggregation.success_thresholds.<…> |
Tighten or loosen specific thresholds (see reference/eval_configs.md). |
++eval_njobs=N |
Parallel GPUs for the evaluate step. |
++dryrun=true |
Plan without running any folding. |
++file_limit=N |
Cap input PDBs (handy for first-pass smoke tests). |
Hardware
- GPU: ≥1 CUDA GPU. AF2 (
colabdesign) and RF3 (rf3_latest) need ≥40 GB VRAM (A100/H100/L40S). ESMFold runs on ≥24 GB. Multi-GPU via++eval_njobs=N. - CPU/disk: 24 CPUs default (
ncpus_: 24). Each refolded PDB + intermediate output is ~1–5 MB;keep_folding_outputs=truecan balloon to tens of GB for thousands of inputs. - See
_shared/reference/hardware.mdfor per-backend wall-clock and VRAM tables.
Troubleshooting
Error: Config file not found— paths are relative to the repo root;cdto the repo before invokingcomplexa analysis.compute_motif_binder_metrics=Truebutresult_type=protein_binder—result_typeand the underlyingcompute_*_metricsmust agree. Useconfigs/evaluate_ame_from_pdb_dir.yamlfor AME inputs rather than mutatingevaluate_from_pdb_dir.yaml.- RF3 shape errors on AME PDBs — RF3 tries to auto-complete the ligand atoms from CCD. Rename the ligand residue to
L:0in every input PDB before evaluation; see the snippet inREADME.md(atom_array.res_name[ligand_mask] = "L:0"). - Diversity step fails (
foldseek not found) —FOLDSEEK_EXECnot onPATH. Either fix.env(preferred) or disable:++aggregation.compute_diversity=false ++aggregation.compute_mmseqs_diversity=false. - All pass-rates are 0% — check the
binder_folding_methodmatches the target type (RF3 for ligand, AF2 for protein) and that++dataset.task_nameresolves to the correct reference PDB (complexa target show <name>to verify).
Reference
Full evaluate/analyze config matrix, every supported result_type, per-threshold defaults, and three worked examples (protein binder / ligand binder / AME): see reference/eval_configs.md.