Images of Biological Molecules
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The Images displayed here were obtained from:

Brookhaven National Laboratory Protein Database
National Institutes of Health Gopher Server
The Rutgers University Nucleic Acid Database HTTP Server
The Rutgers University Nucleic Acid Database Gopher Server
The NIH Molecular Modeling HomePage, National Institutes of Health
The University of Massachusetts, Amherst, RasMol HomePage

The majority of the following files are downloaded with the name "moldraw" - some files will be named "moldraw.html". Therefore, when the file is retrieved, you will need to rename the file to whatever you wish, but, you MUST use a .pdb extension in order for your PDB (Protein DataBank) viewer to load and display them using the 3-dimensional coordinates within the file. As mentioned below, if you do not wish to view the images in 3-dimension, most of the files are downloadable in a static "GIF" format

The images one can retrieve from the NIH Gopher Server are displayed only through a search - one must know the name of the protein. And, the images are in .pdb format which requires a graphics software such as RasMol to view (get raswin.zip if you are using a Windows platform). RasMol may also be accessed via The RasMol HomePage.

The NIH Molecular Modeling HomePage, National Institutes of Health Link will access a Beta Version of the PDB Databank at Brookhaven National Laboratories - one may choose .pdb files from the vast array of images listed in an easy-to-use table, or, one can search for an image by accessing: Molecules 'R Us. Once a listing of images appears, select the image to download - a Form will then appear with the .pdb file as the default - if a .gif is desired, select "image-type" in the Form provided.

The images one retrieves from the Rutgers Gopher site, are also .pdb, but these files are molecular coordinate files (download files with the .pdbs extension, and view in RasMol).

To locate the images at the Rutgers HTTP site, access one of the listed files, then, scroll to the bottom of the Page - there you will find the images (Note: some of the files may not yet have a .gif format image prepared).


The RasMol HomePage at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, is an excellent site which has many images, links to pdb files, and links to software to view these files.
Most of the images depicted at Brookhaven are 3-D viewable. To see the image in 3-D, while looking at a spot directly between the two images, cross one's eyes slightly until a third image appears between the two. Relax, and allow your eyes to focus on this third image - it may be necessary to slowly move your face slightly further from or slightly closer to the monitor screen in order to see the image clearly. Keep practicing, I promise you that you can learn to see in this way - the brain is amazing...

You may practice on this image.......


p21 Ras



DNA




Folded Nucleotides (Nucleic Acids) .gif conversion from .pdb (chain view in RasMol)
From Rutgers Nucleic Acid Database .pdb Cooordinate Files at: gopher://ndbserver.rutgers.edu:70/11/etc/ndb_link_files




Whole IgG Molecule .gif conversion from .pdb (chain view in RasMol)
From .pdb Cooordinate Files at: http://www.umass.edu/microbio/rasmol/padlan.htm
Heavy-chains in blue, blue-green; Light-chains in green, yellow; Carbohydrate in red




Catabolite Activator Protein (Bacterial, in blue) - Interaction with DNA
From the Nucleic Acid Database - Rutgers




Methionine Gene Repressor Protein (in blue) Bound to Promoter/Operator Region of DNA (multi-colored)




Met Repressor - Same as Above in Backbone/Chain View (this time, DNA in blue)




Interleukin 1-Beta




From the Histo Site's Logo
Major Histocompatibility Complex Class I Protein with Bound Peptide




Acetylcholine Esterase - with Acetylcholine in binding site




RasMol-modified .pdb format (chain view) to .gif to reveal Ras protein (oncogene product) complexed with a nucleotide (in red)




And, here are some images of immune system molecules involved in cell recognition and immune responses:
Molecules of the Immune System



Acknowledgement: My thanks to Florida's Bill Weinkle for his introduction to RasMol, his help, and his many well-turned phrases.


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