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 Drug & Nutrient Transport
When you eat proteins, they are digested into small fragments (di- and tri-peptides)
that are taken up into your intestinal cells, on their way to your bloodstream. The
transport protein
pictured sits in the membranes of your intestinal cells, and uses a "rocker-switch"
mechanism to transport peptides and orally consumed drugs across the cell membrane.
Only recently was its structure captured in the outward-open
conformation.
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 Surface Charges & Protein Function
Proteins must interact with substrates, ligands, DNA, RNA, and other proteins to
carry out their functions. Critical to these interactions is the distribution of
positive
and
negative charges on the surface of each protein molecule.
Pictured is a potassium
channel containing 3
K+ ions .
Why does the outside surface of its mid-region have so little charge?
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How To Find A Protein's Best Structure: Empirical? or AlphaFold?
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 Sensing Touch: Mechanosensitive Channels
Touching stretches cell membranes, opening mechanosensitive ion channels, leading to sensation by the nervous system. These channels, consisting of seven protein chains
(left), are also crucial in hearing. When closed, the narrow opening is lined by hydrophobic amino acid sidechains (right) , making it non-conductive to ions.
|
 Virus Capsid Icosahedron
The outer shells (capsids) of many viruses self-assemble as marvels of
symmetry. This is a greatly simplified representation of the two million-atom capsid of Simian Virus 40 (SV40), a member of a group of cancer-causing
DNA viruses that has been extensively researched for
decades, leading to many important discoveries.
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 Coronavirus Priming
Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 spike protein is primed by the lung protease furin
to bind to the host cell receptor ACE2.
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 Coronavirus Fusion
Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 spike protein fuses the virus membrane with the host cell membrane,
releasing the virus RNA into the cell to start infection.
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 Influenza & Tamiflu
Influenza neuraminidase is the target of the drugs Tamiflu and Relenza.
Right: Relenza induces fit of the neuraminidase active site.
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 DNA Structure
An introductory level, nonlinear self-paced tutorial.
(Español
-
Português
-
Deutsch
-
français
-
others)
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 Ramachandran Principle: Phi/Psi Angles
Explanations with dynamic display of clashes during dihedral angle rotation.
Quiz
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 Hemoglobin
An introductory presentation suitable for lectures or individual
study.
New: morphs of the R↔T transition, views of 2,3-diphosphoglycerate
and polymerized sickle hemoglobin.
Quiz
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 Antibody
A narrated YouTube Video capturing this tutorial is available while
the interactive tutorial awaits upgrading for Java-independence.
Quiz.
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Major
Histo- compatibility Complex
The Major Histocompatibility Complex presents peptides from foreign proteins
to T lymphocytes, crucial to disease immunity.
A narrated YouTube Video capturing this tutorial is available while
the interactive tutorial awaits upgrading for Java-independence.
Quiz.
|
 Lipid
Bilayers and Membrane Channel
Introduces cholesterol and phospholipids, then proceeds to lipid bilayer
and the gramicidin membrane channel embedded within the bilayer. Includes
molecular dynamics simulations of both gel and fluid membrane states.
By Eric Martz and Angel Herráez.
(Español)
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Collagen
The indispensible and inextensible fibers that hold you together,
by
Karl Oberholser.
Collagen at Wikipedia has external links to animations
of collagen assembly.
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Lac Repressor
See how the repressor protein
recognizes the DNA sequence
of the lactose operator.
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Water
See 10 water molecules condense into a hydrogen-bonded
droplet. Also liquid water and ice.
Includes challenge questions for students.
By Eric Martz and Angel Herráez.
(Español)
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•
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that they can expect to use for years to come?
•
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such tools yourself in your research?
Check out the
MolviZ Top 5!
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Jmol Tutorials Elsewhere:
Other Jmol Resources:
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Periodic Table of the Elements
The
