Teaching protein structure and function through molecular visualization.

ABSTRACT: The function of proteins is governed by their three-dimensional structure. This structure is determined by the chemical characteristics and atomic interactions of amino acids. Students of biochemistry, with a particular focus on protein chemistry, benefit from looking at protein structures and understanding how proteins are built and fold. Due to their three-dimensional nature, static two-dimensional representations in textbooks can be limiting to student learning. Here, we developed a series of tutorials that introduce students to molecular graphics software. The students are challenged to apply the software to look at proteins and to get a deeper understanding of how amino acid properties are linked to structure. We also familiarize students with some of the latest tools in computational

SUBMITTER: Baland E 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11752409 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Jan-Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature