title: A Self-Assisting Protein Folding Model for Teaching Structural Molecular Biology.
abstract: Structural molecular biology is now becoming part of high school science curriculum thus posing a challenge for teachers who need to convey three-dimensional (3D) structures with conventional text and pictures. In many cases even interactive computer graphics does not go far enough to address these challenges. We have developed a flexible model of the polypeptide backbone using 3D printing technology. With this model we have produced a polypeptide assembly kit to create an idealized model of the Triosephosphate isomerase mutase enzyme (TIM), which forms a structure known as TIM barrel. This kit has been used in a laboratory practical where students perform a step-by-step investigation into the nature of protein folding, starting with the handedness of amino acids to the formation of secondary and tertiary structure. Based on the classroom evidence we collected, we conclude that these models are valuable and inexpensive resource for teaching structural molecular biology.
authors.affiliation: Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics Program, WestEd, 730 Harrison Street, San Francisco, CA 94107, USA.
authors.forename: Jodi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Davenport
authors.affiliation: The Scripps Research Institute, Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, 10550 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pique
authors.affiliation: The Scripps Research Institute, Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, 10550 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA.
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Getzoff
authors.affiliation: The Scripps Research Institute, Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, 10550 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA.
authors.forename: Jon
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Huntoon
authors.affiliation: The Scripps Research Institute, Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, 10550 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA.
authors.forename: Adam
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gardner
authors.affiliation: The Scripps Research Institute, Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, 10550 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA. Electronic address: olson@scripps.edu.
authors.forename: Arthur
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Olson
mesh_terms: D008958:Models, Molecular; D008967:Molecular Biology / Q000193:education*; D017510:Protein Folding; D017433:Protein Structure, Secondary; D014305:Triose-Phosphate Isomerase / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D014305:Triose-Phosphate Isomerase
keywords: 3D printing; alpha helix; beta sheet; chirality; polypeptide assembly; polypeptide model; protein folding; tangible molecular model; teaching protein structure