New AlphaFold errors

[phil.cruz@…]

The following bug report has been submitted:
Platform:        macOS-12.6.2-arm64-arm-64bit
ChimeraX Version: 1.6.dev202212010831 (2022-12-01 08:31:51 UTC)
Description
A collaborator reported that AlphaFold predictions recently started generating errors that weren't seen previously.  I was able to reproduce this with their sequence:

DSGPIICAGPIHSNKSADIPHLLGYSEKICQIDRLIHVSSWLRNHSQFQGYVGQRGGRSQVSYYPAENSYSRWSGLLSPCDADWLGMLVVKKAKGSDMIVPGPSYKGKVFFERPTFDGYVGWGCGSGKSRTESGELCSSDSGTSSGLLPSDRVLWIGDVACQPMTPIPEETFLELKSFSQSEFPDICKIDGIVFNQCEGESLPQPFDVAWMDVGHSHKIIMREHKTKWVQESSSKDFVCYKEGTGPCSESEEKTCKTSGSC

Options (PDB templates, minimize, trim) were all turned on. After the fifth model was generated no download occurs and the log shows: 

Downloading structure predictions to directory Downloads/ChimeraX/AlphaFold
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
NotImplementedError                       Traceback (most recent call last)
<ipython-input-1-d7f041f0d3af> in <module>
    411 remove_from_list(seq_list, 'prokaryote')  # Obsolete "prokaryote" flag
    412 
--> 413 run_prediction(seq_list, use_templates = use_templates, energy_minimize = not dont_minimize)


4 frames

/usr/local/lib/python3.8/dist-packages/google/colab/_system_commands.py in _run_command(cmd, clear_streamed_output)
    161   locale_encoding = locale.getpreferredencoding()
    162   if locale_encoding != _ENCODING:
--> 163     raise NotImplementedError(
    164         'A UTF-8 locale is required. Got {}'.format(locale_encoding))
    165 

NotImplementedError: A UTF-8 locale is required. Got ANSI_X3.4-1968



Log:
UCSF ChimeraX version: 1.6.dev202212010831 (2022-12-01)  
© 2016-2022 Regents of the University of California. All rights reserved.  
How to cite UCSF ChimeraX  

> show cartoons

> ui tool show AlphaFold

> alphafold predict
> DSGPIICAGPIHSNKSADIPHLLGYSEKICQIDRLIHVSSWLRNHSQFQGYVGQRGGRSQVSYYPAENSYSRWSGLLSPCDADWLGMLVVKKAKGSDMIVPGPSYKGKVFFERPTFDGYVGWGCGSGKSRTESGELCSSDSGTSSGLLPSDRVLWIGDVACQPMTPIPEETFLELKSFSQSEFPDICKIDGIVFNQCEGESLPQPFDVAWMDVGHSHKIIMREHKTKWVQESSSKDFVCYKEGTGPCSESEEKTCKTSGSCRGDMQFCKVAGCEHGEEASEAKCRCSLVHKPGEVVVSYGGMRVRPKCYGFSRMMATLEVN
> minimize true templates true

Please cite ColabFold: Making protein folding accessible to all. Nature
Methods (2022) if you use these predictions.  
Running AlphaFold prediction  
[Repeated 2 time(s)]

> help help:user/tools/alphafold.html

> open "/Users/cruzp2/Library/CloudStorage/OneDrive-
> NationalInstitutesofHealth/NIH3D/cif files/4323526.cif" format mmcif

Summary of feedback from opening /Users/cruzp2/Library/CloudStorage/OneDrive-
NationalInstitutesofHealth/NIH3D/cif files/4323526.cif  
---  
warnings | Skipping atom_site category: Missing column 'label_asym_id' near
line 172  
No mmCIF models found.  
  

Populating font family aliases took 117 ms. Replace uses of missing font
family "Roboto" with one that exists to avoid this cost.  




OpenGL version: 4.1 Metal - 76.3
OpenGL renderer: Apple M1 Max
OpenGL vendor: Apple

Python: 3.9.11
Locale: UTF-8
Qt version: PyQt6 6.3.1, Qt 6.3.1
Qt runtime version: 6.3.2
Qt platform: cocoa
Hardware:

    Hardware Overview:

      Model Name: MacBook Pro
      Model Identifier: MacBookPro18,2
      Chip: Apple M1 Max
      Total Number of Cores: 10 (8 performance and 2 efficiency)
      Memory: 32 GB
      System Firmware Version: 8419.60.44
      OS Loader Version: 7459.141.1

Software:

    System Software Overview:

      System Version: macOS 12.6.2 (21G320)
      Kernel Version: Darwin 21.6.0
      Time since boot: 24 days 22:28

Graphics/Displays:

    Apple M1 Max:

      Chipset Model: Apple M1 Max
      Type: GPU
      Bus: Built-In
      Total Number of Cores: 24
      Vendor: Apple (0x106b)
      Metal Family: Supported, Metal GPUFamily Apple 7
      Displays:
        Thunderbolt Display:
          Resolution: 2560 x 1440 (QHD/WQHD - Wide Quad High Definition)
          UI Looks like: 2560 x 1440 @ 60.00Hz
          Main Display: Yes
          Mirror: Off
          Online: Yes
          Rotation: Supported
          Automatically Adjust Brightness: Yes
        Color LCD:
          Display Type: Built-in Liquid Retina XDR Display
          Resolution: 3456 x 2234 Retina
          Mirror: Off
          Online: Yes
          Automatically Adjust Brightness: Yes
          Connection Type: Internal
        BenQ GW2750H:
          Resolution: 1920 x 1080 (1080p FHD - Full High Definition)
          UI Looks like: 1920 x 1080 @ 60.00Hz
          Mirror: Off
          Online: Yes
          Rotation: Supported


Installed Packages:
    alabaster: 0.7.12
    appdirs: 1.4.4
    appnope: 0.1.3
    asttokens: 2.2.0
    Babel: 2.11.0
    backcall: 0.2.0
    blockdiag: 3.0.0
    build: 0.8.0
    certifi: 2021.10.8
    cftime: 1.6.2
    charset-normalizer: 2.1.1
    ChimeraX-AddCharge: 1.5.7
    ChimeraX-AddH: 2.2.3
    ChimeraX-AlignmentAlgorithms: 2.0
    ChimeraX-AlignmentHdrs: 3.3.1
    ChimeraX-AlignmentMatrices: 2.1
    ChimeraX-Alignments: 2.8
    ChimeraX-AlphaFold: 1.0
    ChimeraX-AltlocExplorer: 1.0.3
    ChimeraX-AmberInfo: 1.0
    ChimeraX-Arrays: 1.0
    ChimeraX-Atomic: 1.43.4
    ChimeraX-AtomicLibrary: 8.0.4
    ChimeraX-AtomSearch: 2.0.1
    ChimeraX-AxesPlanes: 2.3
    ChimeraX-BasicActions: 1.1.2
    ChimeraX-BILD: 1.0
    ChimeraX-BlastProtein: 2.1.2
    ChimeraX-BondRot: 2.0.1
    ChimeraX-BugReporter: 1.0.1
    ChimeraX-BuildStructure: 2.7.2
    ChimeraX-Bumps: 1.0
    ChimeraX-BundleBuilder: 1.2
    ChimeraX-ButtonPanel: 1.0.1
    ChimeraX-CageBuilder: 1.0.1
    ChimeraX-CellPack: 1.0
    ChimeraX-Centroids: 1.3.1
    ChimeraX-ChangeChains: 1.0.2
    ChimeraX-CheckWaters: 1.3
    ChimeraX-ChemGroup: 2.0
    ChimeraX-Clashes: 2.2.4
    ChimeraX-ColorActions: 1.0.3
    ChimeraX-ColorGlobe: 1.0
    ChimeraX-ColorKey: 1.5.2
    ChimeraX-CommandLine: 1.2.5
    ChimeraX-ConnectStructure: 2.0.1
    ChimeraX-Contacts: 1.0.1
    ChimeraX-Core: 1.6.dev202212010831
    ChimeraX-CoreFormats: 1.1
    ChimeraX-coulombic: 1.4.1
    ChimeraX-Crosslinks: 1.0
    ChimeraX-Crystal: 1.0
    ChimeraX-CrystalContacts: 1.0.1
    ChimeraX-DataFormats: 1.2.2
    ChimeraX-Dicom: 1.1
    ChimeraX-DistMonitor: 1.3
    ChimeraX-DockPrep: 1.1
    ChimeraX-Dssp: 2.0
    ChimeraX-EMDB-SFF: 1.0
    ChimeraX-ESMFold: 1.0
    ChimeraX-ExperimentalCommands: 1.0
    ChimeraX-FileHistory: 1.0.1
    ChimeraX-FunctionKey: 1.0.1
    ChimeraX-Geometry: 1.2
    ChimeraX-gltf: 1.0
    ChimeraX-Graphics: 1.1
    ChimeraX-Hbonds: 2.4
    ChimeraX-Help: 1.2.1
    ChimeraX-HKCage: 1.3
    ChimeraX-IHM: 1.1
    ChimeraX-ImageFormats: 1.2
    ChimeraX-IMOD: 1.0
    ChimeraX-IO: 1.0.1
    ChimeraX-ItemsInspection: 1.0.1
    ChimeraX-Label: 1.1.7
    ChimeraX-ListInfo: 1.1.1
    ChimeraX-Log: 1.1.5
    ChimeraX-LookingGlass: 1.1
    ChimeraX-Maestro: 1.8.2
    ChimeraX-Map: 1.1.2
    ChimeraX-MapData: 2.0
    ChimeraX-MapEraser: 1.0.1
    ChimeraX-MapFilter: 2.0
    ChimeraX-MapFit: 2.0
    ChimeraX-MapSeries: 2.1.1
    ChimeraX-Markers: 1.0.1
    ChimeraX-Mask: 1.0.1
    ChimeraX-MatchMaker: 2.0.9
    ChimeraX-MDcrds: 2.6
    ChimeraX-MedicalToolbar: 1.0.2
    ChimeraX-Meeting: 1.0.1
    ChimeraX-MLP: 1.1
    ChimeraX-mmCIF: 2.9
    ChimeraX-MMTF: 2.2
    ChimeraX-Modeller: 1.5.7
    ChimeraX-ModelPanel: 1.3.6
    ChimeraX-ModelSeries: 1.0.1
    ChimeraX-Mol2: 2.0
    ChimeraX-Mole: 1.0
    ChimeraX-Morph: 1.0.1
    ChimeraX-MouseModes: 1.1.1
    ChimeraX-Movie: 1.0
    ChimeraX-Neuron: 1.0
    ChimeraX-NIHPresets: 1.1.8
    ChimeraX-Nucleotides: 2.0.3
    ChimeraX-OpenCommand: 1.9.3
    ChimeraX-PDB: 2.6.9
    ChimeraX-PDBBio: 1.0
    ChimeraX-PDBLibrary: 1.0.2
    ChimeraX-PDBMatrices: 1.0
    ChimeraX-PickBlobs: 1.0.1
    ChimeraX-Positions: 1.0
    ChimeraX-PresetMgr: 1.1
    ChimeraX-PubChem: 2.1
    ChimeraX-ReadPbonds: 1.0.1
    ChimeraX-Registration: 1.1.1
    ChimeraX-RemoteControl: 1.0
    ChimeraX-RenderByAttr: 1.0
    ChimeraX-RenumberResidues: 1.1
    ChimeraX-ResidueFit: 1.0.1
    ChimeraX-RestServer: 1.1
    ChimeraX-RNALayout: 1.0
    ChimeraX-RotamerLibMgr: 3.0
    ChimeraX-RotamerLibsDunbrack: 2.0
    ChimeraX-RotamerLibsDynameomics: 2.0
    ChimeraX-RotamerLibsRichardson: 2.0
    ChimeraX-SaveCommand: 1.5.1
    ChimeraX-SchemeMgr: 1.0
    ChimeraX-SDF: 2.0.1
    ChimeraX-Segger: 1.0
    ChimeraX-Segment: 1.0
    ChimeraX-SelInspector: 1.0
    ChimeraX-SeqView: 2.8
    ChimeraX-Shape: 1.0.1
    ChimeraX-Shell: 1.0.1
    ChimeraX-Shortcuts: 1.1.1
    ChimeraX-ShowSequences: 1.0.1
    ChimeraX-SideView: 1.0.1
    ChimeraX-Smiles: 2.1
    ChimeraX-SmoothLines: 1.0
    ChimeraX-SpaceNavigator: 1.0
    ChimeraX-StdCommands: 1.10.1
    ChimeraX-STL: 1.0
    ChimeraX-Storm: 1.0
    ChimeraX-StructMeasure: 1.1
    ChimeraX-Struts: 1.0.1
    ChimeraX-Surface: 1.0
    ChimeraX-SwapAA: 2.0.1
    ChimeraX-SwapRes: 2.1.4
    ChimeraX-TapeMeasure: 1.0
    ChimeraX-Test: 1.0
    ChimeraX-Toolbar: 1.1.2
    ChimeraX-ToolshedUtils: 1.2.1
    ChimeraX-Topography: 1.0
    ChimeraX-Tug: 1.0.1
    ChimeraX-UI: 1.25.2
    ChimeraX-uniprot: 2.2.1
    ChimeraX-UnitCell: 1.0.1
    ChimeraX-ViewDockX: 1.1.6
    ChimeraX-VIPERdb: 1.0
    ChimeraX-Vive: 1.1
    ChimeraX-VolumeMenu: 1.0.1
    ChimeraX-VTK: 1.0
    ChimeraX-WavefrontOBJ: 1.0
    ChimeraX-WebCam: 1.0.1
    ChimeraX-WebServices: 1.1.0
    ChimeraX-Zone: 1.0.1
    colorama: 0.4.5
    cxservices: 1.2
    cycler: 0.11.0
    Cython: 0.29.32
    debugpy: 1.6.4
    decorator: 5.1.1
    docutils: 0.19
    entrypoints: 0.4
    executing: 1.2.0
    filelock: 3.7.1
    fonttools: 4.38.0
    funcparserlib: 1.0.1
    grako: 3.16.5
    h5py: 3.7.0
    html2text: 2020.1.16
    idna: 3.4
    ihm: 0.33
    imagecodecs: 2022.7.31
    imagesize: 1.4.1
    importlib-metadata: 5.1.0
    ipykernel: 6.15.3
    ipython: 8.4.0
    ipython-genutils: 0.2.0
    jedi: 0.18.1
    Jinja2: 3.1.2
    jupyter-client: 7.3.4
    jupyter-core: 5.1.0
    kiwisolver: 1.4.4
    line-profiler: 3.5.1
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[Tom Goddard]

I worked on this error 8 months ago, ticket #6961

​https://www.rbvi.ucsf.edu/trac/ChimeraX/ticket/6961

It is a bug in Google Colab and it is described in other places on the web. In my previous work on this bug it happens when AlphaFold generated an error in energy minimization. Then if I try another AlphaFold run it all seems to work until it gets to making the zip file to download and it fails with this error from Google Colab

NotImplementedError: A UTF-8 locale is required. Got ANSI_X3.4-1968

What I figured out was that somehow the AlphaFold error display causes the Python locale to be changed which controls the text format (UTF-8 vs ANSI...) and then somehow Google Colab shell commands no longer work. Others online observe the same problem with other applications running on Google Colab. I tried various hacks to tell Python to reset the locale but nothing worked.

So I don't think I can fix this Google Colab bug. This is one of many unpleasant problems with the free and poorly maintained Google Colab service.

But here is a suggestion for recovering after this error. The trouble is that if you try more alphafold runs after an error it will use the same Google Colab session and that session is broken. So you need to reset the Google Colab session. To do that use the menu entry "Runtime / Restart Runtime" on the AlphaFold Run window in ChimeraX. Then when you run a new AlphaFold job it will start a new Google Colab session and will work.