From Pipe Cleaners and Pony Beads to Apps and 3D Glasses: Teaching Protein Structure †
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Author:
Pamela A. Marshall1
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Published 15 December 2014
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†Supplemental materials available at http://jmbe.asm.org
- Corresponding author. Mailing address: School of Mathematical and Natural Sciences, New College of Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences, Arizona State University at the West campus, MC 2352, P.O. Box 37100, Phoenix, AZ 85069. Phone: 602-543-6143. Fax: 602-543-6073. E-mail: [email protected].
- ©2014 Author(s). Published by the American Society for Microbiology.
Abstract:
Students often self-identify as visual learners and prefer to engage with a topic in an active, hands-on way. Indeed, much research has shown that students who actively engage with the material and are engrossed in the topics retain concepts better than students who are passive receivers of information. However, much of learning life science concepts is still driven by books and static pictures. One concept students have a hard time grasping is how a linear chain of amino acids folds to becomes a 3D protein structure. Adding three dimensional activities to the topic of protein structure and function should allow for a deeper understanding of the primary, secondary, tertiary, and quaternary structure of proteins and how proteins function in a cell. Here, I review protein folding activities and describe using Apps and 3D visualization to enhance student understanding of protein structure.
References & Citations
Supplemental Material
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- Appendix 1: Rationale and further information
- Appendix 2: App instructions
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MyBook is a cheap paperback edition of the original book and will be sold at uniform, low price.
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PDF
1.93 MB
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Abstract:
Students often self-identify as visual learners and prefer to engage with a topic in an active, hands-on way. Indeed, much research has shown that students who actively engage with the material and are engrossed in the topics retain concepts better than students who are passive receivers of information. However, much of learning life science concepts is still driven by books and static pictures. One concept students have a hard time grasping is how a linear chain of amino acids folds to becomes a 3D protein structure. Adding three dimensional activities to the topic of protein structure and function should allow for a deeper understanding of the primary, secondary, tertiary, and quaternary structure of proteins and how proteins function in a cell. Here, I review protein folding activities and describe using Apps and 3D visualization to enhance student understanding of protein structure.

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Author and Article Information
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Published 15 December 2014
-
†Supplemental materials available at http://jmbe.asm.org
- Corresponding author. Mailing address: School of Mathematical and Natural Sciences, New College of Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences, Arizona State University at the West campus, MC 2352, P.O. Box 37100, Phoenix, AZ 85069. Phone: 602-543-6143. Fax: 602-543-6073. E-mail: [email protected].
- ©2014 Author(s). Published by the American Society for Microbiology.
Figures
Examples of pipe cleaner protein structures. For details please see Appendix 1 .

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FIGURE 1.
Examples of pipe cleaner protein structures. For details please see Appendix 1 .
Tangle Proteins Building Set, the 3rd IgG binding domain of Streptococcal protein G ( 3 ); instructions in the kit.

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FIGURE 2.
Tangle Proteins Building Set, the 3rd IgG binding domain of Streptococcal protein G ( 3 ); instructions in the kit.
Green fluorescent protein (1EMA) ( 8 ) rendered with iMolview. (a) Visualized as a ribbon structure colored N to C. (b) Visualized with 3D surfaces (skin) drawn.

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FIGURE 3.
Green fluorescent protein (1EMA) ( 8 ) rendered with iMolview. (a) Visualized as a ribbon structure colored N to C. (b) Visualized with 3D surfaces (skin) drawn.
Cephalosporin hydroxylase from Streptomyces clavuligerus (2BM8) ( 9 ). Rendered with iMolview. (a) Protein structure. (b) Anaglyph structure.

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FIGURE 4.
Cephalosporin hydroxylase from Streptomyces clavuligerus (2BM8) ( 9 ). Rendered with iMolview. (a) Protein structure. (b) Anaglyph structure.