Visualizing Proteins

This lesson, Visualizing proteins is about protein structure. Proteins have many functions in the human body: transport, chemical reactions, communication, structure and regulation. How can you indicate what function a protein is likely to have?

Alpha-Helices and Beta-sheets are subunits of the secondary structure of a protein. Due to hydrogen bonds, ionogenic interaction and other atomic interactions proteins will get their eventual shape. Some proteins work with other proteins to be able to exert their function. To do so, several proteins will form a complex.

With a small practicing protein students will learn how to work with a 3D-modelling program (Yasara). Subsequently they will study hemoglobin and see why it is capable of transporting oxygen. Finally, students choose a protein of their own to study.

Required material

• Student guide (pdf, 2,1 MB)
• Yasara View – free to download after registration on the website

For the teacher guide, needed Yasara files, questions, remarks or suggestions about this lesson you can send an email to: nijmegen@dnalabs.nl.