diff --git a/modules/io/tests/test_mmcif_reader.cc b/modules/io/tests/test_mmcif_reader.cc
index ad669bd7a5d9f7b51097b4903e64900f48058338..577b211fc849113bf4cd1eca53d23816389fc3db 100644
--- a/modules/io/tests/test_mmcif_reader.cc
+++ b/modules/io/tests/test_mmcif_reader.cc
@@ -276,13 +276,13 @@ BOOST_AUTO_TEST_CASE(mmcif_chaintype_setting)
     mmcif_p.Parse();
     ch = eh.FindChain("A");
     BOOST_CHECK(ch.IsValid());
-    BOOST_CHECK(ch.GetChainType() == CHAINTYPE_POLY);
+    BOOST_CHECK(ch.GetType() == CHAINTYPE_POLY);
     ch = eh.FindChain("C");
     BOOST_CHECK(ch.IsValid());
-    BOOST_CHECK(ch.GetChainType() == CHAINTYPE_POLY);
+    BOOST_CHECK(ch.GetType() == CHAINTYPE_POLY);
     ch = eh.FindChain("O");
     BOOST_CHECK(ch.IsValid());
-    BOOST_CHECK(ch.GetChainType() == CHAINTYPE_WATER);
+    BOOST_CHECK(ch.GetType() == CHAINTYPE_WATER);
   }
   BOOST_MESSAGE("          done.");
   // negative: no entity description
@@ -295,10 +295,10 @@ BOOST_AUTO_TEST_CASE(mmcif_chaintype_setting)
     mmcif_p.Parse();
     ch = eh.FindChain("A");
     BOOST_CHECK(ch.IsValid());
-    BOOST_CHECK(ch.GetChainType() == CHAINTYPE_UNKNOWN);
+    BOOST_CHECK(ch.GetType() == CHAINTYPE_UNKNOWN);
     ch = eh.FindChain("B");
     BOOST_CHECK(ch.IsValid());
-    BOOST_CHECK(ch.GetChainType() == CHAINTYPE_UNKNOWN);
+    BOOST_CHECK(ch.GetType() == CHAINTYPE_UNKNOWN);
   }
   BOOST_MESSAGE("          done.");
 
diff --git a/modules/mol/base/doc/entity.rst b/modules/mol/base/doc/entity.rst
index a68ae03714f92d1a300f85ab102d9a2515352f14..a9f6db99ec9b57a14bdc9e2803365957c85485c8 100644
--- a/modules/mol/base/doc/entity.rst
+++ b/modules/mol/base/doc/entity.rst
@@ -280,12 +280,12 @@ The Handle Classes
      want to save them as PDB files
      
      This property is read-only. To change the name, use an :class:`XCSEditor`. 
-     
+
      Also available as :meth:`GetName`
      
      :type: str
 
-  .. attribute:: chain_type
+  .. attribute:: type
 
      Describes the type of the chain. Is one of enum ChainType:
 
@@ -411,11 +411,11 @@ The Handle Classes
   
     See :attr:`name`
 
-  .. method:: GetChainType()
+  .. method:: GetType()
 
-    See :attr:`chain_type`
+    See :attr:`type`
 
-  .. method:: GetChainDescription()
+  .. method:: GetDescription()
 
     See :attr:`description`
 
diff --git a/modules/mol/base/pymod/export_chain.cc b/modules/mol/base/pymod/export_chain.cc
index f524d5d17c5458854ff540ad809d87d9ea593b72..5f8dcaa1cdbdb9816d5a3bfee31b6f80b13bd971 100644
--- a/modules/mol/base/pymod/export_chain.cc
+++ b/modules/mol/base/pymod/export_chain.cc
@@ -51,8 +51,8 @@ void export_Chain()
     .def(self_ns::str(self))
     .add_property("valid", &ChainBase::IsValid)
     .def("IsValid", &ChainBase::IsValid)
-    .def("GetChainType", &ChainBase::GetChainType)
-    .def("GetChainDescription", &ChainBase::GetChainDescription)
+    .def("GetType", &ChainBase::GetType)
+    .def("GetDescription", &ChainBase::GetDescription)
   ;
   generic_prop_def<ChainBase>(chain_base);
   class_<ChainHandle, bases<ChainBase> >("ChainHandle", init<>())
@@ -82,8 +82,8 @@ void export_Chain()
     .def("GetBondCount", &ChainHandle::GetBondCount)   
     .add_property("residue_count", &ChainHandle::GetResidueCount)
     .add_property("atom_count", &ChainHandle::GetAtomCount)
-    .add_property("chain_type", &ChainHandle::GetChainType)
-    .add_property("description", &ChainHandle::GetChainDescription)
+    .add_property("chain_type", &ChainHandle::GetType)
+    .add_property("description", &ChainHandle::GetDescription)
     .def("InSequence", &ChainHandle::InSequence)
     .def("Select", select_string, arg("flags")=0)
     .def("Select", select_query, arg("flags")=0)
diff --git a/modules/mol/base/src/chain_base.cc b/modules/mol/base/src/chain_base.cc
index 1f5b04cd0d573f45a0bf5fcb1928198648e77824..6e534a4dc529dcb7a653a677a6e8bb47df6369ac 100644
--- a/modules/mol/base/src/chain_base.cc
+++ b/modules/mol/base/src/chain_base.cc
@@ -44,12 +44,12 @@ String ChainBase::GetName() const {
   return impl_->GetName();
 }
 
-ChainType ChainBase::GetChainType() const {
-  return impl_->GetChainType();
+ChainType ChainBase::GetType() const {
+  return impl_->GetType();
 }
 
-String ChainBase::GetChainDescription() const {
-  return impl_->GetChainDescription();
+String ChainBase::GetDescription() const {
+  return impl_->GetDescription();
 }
 
 void ChainBase::CheckValidity() const {
diff --git a/modules/mol/base/src/chain_base.hh b/modules/mol/base/src/chain_base.hh
index 5410ada9f457617f1ae9448e0599c57a8e188414..525ad36583e516250047bdb8d49db4abc15f411d 100644
--- a/modules/mol/base/src/chain_base.hh
+++ b/modules/mol/base/src/chain_base.hh
@@ -63,12 +63,12 @@ public:
   /// \brief Get the type of a chain.
   ///
   /// \return chain type of ChainType
-  ChainType GetChainType() const;
+  ChainType GetType() const;
 
   /// \brief Get information about a chain.
   ///
   /// \return description
-  String GetChainDescription() const;
+  String GetDescription() const;
 
   const impl::ChainImplPtr& Impl() const {
     return impl_;
diff --git a/modules/mol/base/src/editor_base.cc b/modules/mol/base/src/editor_base.cc
index c9fa92bd40ffbbdf6792cfc79df08f1050b65bee..d9f460994bcda9a2bc5223effadd4e9b5590ca00 100644
--- a/modules/mol/base/src/editor_base.cc
+++ b/modules/mol/base/src/editor_base.cc
@@ -85,13 +85,13 @@ void EditorBase::RenameChain(ChainHandle chain, const String& new_name)
 void EditorBase::SetChainType(ChainHandle chain, const ChainType type)
 {
   CheckHandleValidity(chain);
-  chain.Impl()->SetChainType(type);
+  chain.Impl()->SetType(type);
 }
 
 void EditorBase::SetChainDescription(ChainHandle chain, const String desc)
 {
   CheckHandleValidity(chain);
-  chain.Impl()->SetChainDescription(desc);
+  chain.Impl()->SetDescription(desc);
 }
 
 AtomHandle EditorBase::InsertAtom(ResidueHandle res, const String& name,
diff --git a/modules/mol/base/src/impl/chain_impl.cc b/modules/mol/base/src/impl/chain_impl.cc
index a96ce571cc4477f36589f98f2c310ec48ff05014..c04e1ed72b33e226ae3a9ce08295ca541b4c1848 100644
--- a/modules/mol/base/src/impl/chain_impl.cc
+++ b/modules/mol/base/src/impl/chain_impl.cc
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ ChainImpl::ChainImpl(const EntityImplPtr& e, const String& name):
   name_(name),
   residue_list_(),
   in_sequence_(true),
-  chain_type_(CHAINTYPE_UNKNOWN),
+  type_(CHAINTYPE_UNKNOWN),
   description_()
 {}
 
diff --git a/modules/mol/base/src/impl/chain_impl.hh b/modules/mol/base/src/impl/chain_impl.hh
index 31bd368796ac86a2be1a748501e3475f293a168d..546a2ae8d9977b423ec26237553b0fd8ddecb736 100644
--- a/modules/mol/base/src/impl/chain_impl.hh
+++ b/modules/mol/base/src/impl/chain_impl.hh
@@ -51,23 +51,23 @@ public:
   /// \brief Assign a type to a chain.
   ///
   /// \param type chain type of ChainType
-  void SetChainType(const ChainType type)
+  void SetType(const ChainType type)
   {
-    chain_type_ = type;
+    type_ = type;
   }
 
   /// \brief Get the type of a chain.
   ///
   /// \return chain type of ChainType
-  ChainType GetChainType() const
+  ChainType GetType() const
   {
-    return chain_type_;
+    return type_;
   }
 
   /// \brief Assign a description to a chain.
   ///
   /// \param desc description
-  void SetChainDescription(const String desc)
+  void SetDescription(const String desc)
   {
     description_ = desc;
   }
@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@ public:
   /// \brief Get information about a chain
   ///
   /// \return description
-  String GetChainDescription() const
+  String GetDescription() const
   {
     return description_;
   }
@@ -167,7 +167,7 @@ private:
   /// \brief whether the residue numbers are in ascending order or not. Used
   ///        to optimize residue by number lookup.
   bool             in_sequence_;
-  ChainType        chain_type_;
+  ChainType        type_;
   String           description_; ///< special aspects of the chain
 };
 
diff --git a/modules/mol/base/tests/test_chain.cc b/modules/mol/base/tests/test_chain.cc
index b866ecd00df2ee57b6f53fc9ecded48e7861f5ee..abca07aed861c249f47eff8dd2f42d71ac4bcb14 100644
--- a/modules/mol/base/tests/test_chain.cc
+++ b/modules/mol/base/tests/test_chain.cc
@@ -208,31 +208,31 @@ BOOST_AUTO_TEST_CASE(chain_type)
    XCSEditor e = eh.EditXCS();
    ChainHandle ch1 = e.InsertChain("A");
 
-   BOOST_CHECK(ch1.GetChainType() == CHAINTYPE_UNKNOWN);
+   BOOST_CHECK(ch1.GetType() == CHAINTYPE_UNKNOWN);
    e.SetChainType(ch1, CHAINTYPE_POLY);
-   BOOST_CHECK(ch1.GetChainType() == CHAINTYPE_POLY);
+   BOOST_CHECK(ch1.GetType() == CHAINTYPE_POLY);
    e.SetChainType(ch1, CHAINTYPE_NON_POLY);
-   BOOST_CHECK(ch1.GetChainType() == CHAINTYPE_NON_POLY);
+   BOOST_CHECK(ch1.GetType() == CHAINTYPE_NON_POLY);
    e.SetChainType(ch1, CHAINTYPE_WATER);
-   BOOST_CHECK(ch1.GetChainType() == CHAINTYPE_WATER);
+   BOOST_CHECK(ch1.GetType() == CHAINTYPE_WATER);
    e.SetChainType(ch1, CHAINTYPE_POLY_PEPTIDE_D);
-   BOOST_CHECK(ch1.GetChainType() == CHAINTYPE_POLY_PEPTIDE_D);
+   BOOST_CHECK(ch1.GetType() == CHAINTYPE_POLY_PEPTIDE_D);
    e.SetChainType(ch1, CHAINTYPE_POLY_PEPTIDE_L);
-   BOOST_CHECK(ch1.GetChainType() == CHAINTYPE_POLY_PEPTIDE_L);
+   BOOST_CHECK(ch1.GetType() == CHAINTYPE_POLY_PEPTIDE_L);
    e.SetChainType(ch1, CHAINTYPE_POLY_DN);
-   BOOST_CHECK(ch1.GetChainType() == CHAINTYPE_POLY_DN);
+   BOOST_CHECK(ch1.GetType() == CHAINTYPE_POLY_DN);
    e.SetChainType(ch1, CHAINTYPE_POLY_RN);
-   BOOST_CHECK(ch1.GetChainType() == CHAINTYPE_POLY_RN);
+   BOOST_CHECK(ch1.GetType() == CHAINTYPE_POLY_RN);
    e.SetChainType(ch1, CHAINTYPE_POLY_SAC_D);
-   BOOST_CHECK(ch1.GetChainType() == CHAINTYPE_POLY_SAC_D);
+   BOOST_CHECK(ch1.GetType() == CHAINTYPE_POLY_SAC_D);
    e.SetChainType(ch1, CHAINTYPE_POLY_SAC_L);
-   BOOST_CHECK(ch1.GetChainType() == CHAINTYPE_POLY_SAC_L);
+   BOOST_CHECK(ch1.GetType() == CHAINTYPE_POLY_SAC_L);
    e.SetChainType(ch1, CHAINTYPE_POLY_DN_RN);
-   BOOST_CHECK(ch1.GetChainType() == CHAINTYPE_POLY_DN_RN);
+   BOOST_CHECK(ch1.GetType() == CHAINTYPE_POLY_DN_RN);
    e.SetChainType(ch1, CHAINTYPE_N_CHAINTYPES);
-   BOOST_CHECK(ch1.GetChainType() == CHAINTYPE_N_CHAINTYPES);
+   BOOST_CHECK(ch1.GetType() == CHAINTYPE_N_CHAINTYPES);
    e.SetChainType(ch1, CHAINTYPE_UNKNOWN);
-   BOOST_CHECK(ch1.GetChainType() == CHAINTYPE_UNKNOWN);
+   BOOST_CHECK(ch1.GetType() == CHAINTYPE_UNKNOWN);
 }
 
 BOOST_AUTO_TEST_CASE(chain_description)
@@ -242,7 +242,7 @@ BOOST_AUTO_TEST_CASE(chain_description)
   ChainHandle ch1 = e.InsertChain("A");
   String description = "Very important information";
   e.SetChainDescription(ch1, description);
-  BOOST_CHECK(ch1.GetChainDescription() == description);
+  BOOST_CHECK(ch1.GetDescription() == description);
 }
 
 BOOST_AUTO_TEST_SUITE_END()