UMass Amherst Integrated Sciences Bldg
Springfield Science Museum
St Olaf College (see press release)
Okinawa Institute of Science & Technology (video)
Gilead Sciences Inc., Foster City, CA
Universidad de Alcalá, Madrid, Spain
University of Eastern Kentucky
Université de Perpignan Via Domitia
Otterbein University (Chemistry)
Craig T. Martin, Chemistry
Adam Williams, Computer Science
Eric Martz, Microbiology
Allen Hanson, Computer Science
University of Massachusetts Amherst
Contact: cmartin@chem.umass.edu
THE MOLECULES
| Tamiflu | The Tamiflu® drug binds to a protein on the influenza virus (neuraminidase) that the virus needs in order to infect cells. This structure shows the drug binding to, and inhibiting, the target protein, and hence helping to control infection by flu, including H1N1. See the interactive molecular animation! (Author of this animation: Eric Martz) |
| HIV Protease | The Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), responsible for AIDS, uses a protease (an enzyme) that is essential to its infection and reproduction. Scientists have designed an inhibitor of this enzyme that effectively stops viral growth, and has dramatically extended the healthy lifespans of HIV-infected individuals. This structure shows an animation of the drug binding to, and inhibiting, the HIV protease. See the interactive molecular animation! (Author of this animation: Eric Martz) |
| Ribosome | The Ribosome - the machine that makes protein is largely RNA! This structure led to the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2009. We used to think that proteins were the only biomacromolecules that could achieve catalysis. We now think that RNA was the primordialy enzyme. See the interactive molecular animation! (Author of this animation: Wayne Decatur.) |
| RNA Polymerase | RNA polymerase transcribes DNA in cells into RNA copies - studied by the Martin lab at UMass See the interactive molecular animation! (Author of this animation: Craig Martin) |
| DNA | DNA - the information storage molecule of life See the interactive molecular animation! (Author of this animation: Craig Martin) |
| CRABP | Cellular retinoic acid binding protein transports fatty acids in your cells - studied by the Gierasch lab at UMass See the interactive molecular animation! (Author of this animation: Craig Martin) |
| Acetophenone | Vibrational modes in acetophenone, a natural flavoring. Real molecules are not static, but vibrate with thermal energy See the interactive molecular animation! (Author of this animation: Paul Lahti.) |
| Zero Calorie Fat I | A sugar-based zero-calorie fat developed by Proctor & Gamble. Although chemically, this molecule should behave like a fat, the unnatural linkage makes it not digestable by our cellular enzymes. See the interactive molecular animation! (Author of this animation: Craig Martin) |
| Zero Calorie Fat II | A zero-calorie fat developed by Proctor & Gamble. Although chemically, this molecule should behave like a fat, the unnatural linkage makes it not digestable by our cellular enzymes. See the interactive molecular animation! (Author of this animation: Craig Martin) |
| Stapled Peptide | An isolated protein alpha helix is not stable. Protein engineers, however, have stabilized a helix by adding a covalent linkage - a staple. See the interactive molecular animation! (Author of this animation: Craig Martin) |
| Designed Proton Wire | UMass researchers are designing proton wires for solar energy applications. Protons can hop from one imidazole ring to the next along this chain. See the interactive molecular animation! (Author of this animation: Craig Martin) |
| Simple Proton Wire | UMass researchers are designing proton wires for solar energy applications. Protons can hop from one imidazole ring to the next along this chain. See the interactive molecular animation! (Author of this animation: Craig Martin) |
| PPCA | Human lysosomal protease helps proteins fold properly to prevent a metabolic disorder with no known treatment (Garman lab, UMass) See the interactive molecular animation! (Author of this animation: CBI student: Nilima Kolli) |
| M2 Transporter | Region of Influenza A Viral Protein M2 Responsible for proton transport across membranes during infection by the Influenza virus (Hardy lab, UMass) See the interactive molecular animation! (Author of this animation: CBI student: Samantha Nicholls) |
| CRABP I | CRABP I carries retinoic acid, essential for vision (Gierasch lab, UMass) See the interactive molecular animation! (Author of this animation: CBI students: Jinyi Lim, Kristine Faye Pobre, Mangai Periasamy, Mylene Ferrolino) |
| a-mannosidase I | Alpha mannosidase I is a catalytic timer for protein degradation (Hebert lab, UMass) See the interactive molecular animation! (Author of this animation: CBI student: Johan Sunryd) |
| Prolyl hydroxylase | Prolyl Hydroxylase Domain (PHD) enzyme is a cellular oxygen sensor (Knapp lab, UMass) See the interactive molecular animation! (Author of this animation: CBI student: Cristina B. Martin) |
| Taxol | Paclitaxel (Taxol), a plant-derived natural product used to treat cancer (Roberts lab, UMass) See the interactive molecular animation! (Author of this animation: CBI student: Rohan Patil) |
| Chymotrypsin | Chymotrypsin is a digestive enzyme that breaks down proteins. The Rotello lab is designing nanoparticles to target this enzyme (Rotello lab, UMass) See the interactive molecular animation! (Author of this animation: CBI student: Bradley Duncan) |
| Bio-machine | Erythromycin dehydratase is one component of a multi-protein machine for making new antibiotics (Schnarr lab, UMass) See the interactive molecular animation! (Author of this animation: CBI students: Tsung-Yi Lin, Jon Amoroso) |
| Biotin-Avidin | Once a biotin has bound a pocket in avidin, it is almost impossible to remove (used in the Thayumanavan lab, UMass) See the interactive molecular animation! (Author of this animation: CBI student: Diego Amado-Torres) |
| Asp Receptor | A bacterial chemotaxis receptor protein used by bacteria to 'smell' their environment (Thompson & Weis labs, UMass) See the interactive molecular animation! (Author of this animation: CBI students: Shiela M. Jones, Daniel Moyano-Marino) |
| Beta2 microglobulin | Copper binding leads beta 2 microglobulin to form amyloid fibers in kidney dialysis patients (Vachet lab, UMass) See the interactive molecular animation! (Author of this animation: CBI student: Nick Borotto) |
| FIH Protein | The iron site in FIH protein helps cells respond to oxygen levels (Knapp lab, UMass) See the interactive molecular animation! (Author of this animation: CBI students: John Hangasky, Breanne Holmes) |
If you are interested in authoring a presentation module for Molecular Playground, please see the help, instructions, and suggestions for authors.
The Molecular Playground project has been developed with the support of the University of Massachusetts at Amherst and the Camille and Henry Dreyfus Foundation.
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