Backbone representations
From Proteopedia
(Difference between revisions)
| Line 5: | Line 5: | ||
==Protein Main Chain== | ==Protein Main Chain== | ||
| - | Here is a small alpha helix (15 amino acids)<ref>Residues 23-37 from [[1pgb]].</ref> In the <scene name='59/599354/Helix/1'>initial scene</scene>, all atoms are shown. | + | Here is a small alpha helix (15 amino acids)<ref>Residues 23-37 from [[1pgb]].</ref> In the <scene name='59/599354/Helix/1'>initial scene</scene>, all atoms are shown, colored by element: |
| + | <font style="font-size:150%;">{{Template:ColorKey_Element_C}} | ||
| + | {{Template:ColorKey_Element_H}} | ||
| + | {{Template:ColorKey_Element_O}} | ||
| + | {{Template:ColorKey_Element_N}}</font>. | ||
| - | *First, we'll simplify by <scene name='59/599354/Helix/2'>hiding the hydrogen atoms</scene>. [[Hydrogen]] atoms make up almost exactly 50% of the atoms in proteins. | + | *First, we'll simplify by <scene name='59/599354/Helix/2'>hiding the hydrogen atoms</scene>. [[Hydrogen in macromolecular models|Hydrogen]] atoms make up almost exactly 50% of the atoms in proteins. |
*Next, we'll simplify by <scene name='59/599354/Helix/3'>hiding the amino acid side chains</scene>. What remains is called the main chain. Each amino acid's main chain atoms are N-C-C, where the first C is the alpha carbon, and the second, the carboxyl carbon with its double-bonded oxygen (double bonds not shown). We could also <scene name='59/599354/Helix/4'>hide the oxygen atoms</scene>, leaving only the atoms that are part of the '''main chain''', also called the backbone. | *Next, we'll simplify by <scene name='59/599354/Helix/3'>hiding the amino acid side chains</scene>. What remains is called the main chain. Each amino acid's main chain atoms are N-C-C, where the first C is the alpha carbon, and the second, the carboxyl carbon with its double-bonded oxygen (double bonds not shown). We could also <scene name='59/599354/Helix/4'>hide the oxygen atoms</scene>, leaving only the atoms that are part of the '''main chain''', also called the backbone. | ||
Revision as of 17:13, 19 September 2014
Backbone representations are simplified 3D depictions of proteins or nucleic acids that enable the polymer chain structure to be seen.
| |||||||||||
