Protein structure visualisation tools-RasMol

Department of Zoology, GACW (2018-2019)
Protein structure visualization tools
Introduction:
Before computer visualization software was developed, molecular structures
were presented by physical models of metal wires, rods and spheres. With
the development of computer hardware and software technology and
computer graphics programs were developed to visualizing and
manipulating three-dimensional structures. The computer graphics help to
analyze and compare protein structure to gain the functions of protein.
Molecular visualization helps the scientists to bioengineer the protein
molecules. User-friendly graphic interface makes this area of
Bioinformatics a full filled, scientific thrill to the bioscientists.
Tools for molecular visualization:
There are a number of software’s both free and commercial are available to
visualize the biomolecules. The most commonly used free software are :
 RasMol
 Chime
 MolMol
 Protein explorer
 Kinemage Cn3D
RasMol
RasMol is a molecular graphics program intended for the visualisation
of proteins, nucleic acids and small molecules. It is created by Roger Sayle in
1992. The program is aimed at display, teaching and generation of publication
quality images. RasMol runs on wide range of architectures and operating
systems including Microsoft Windows, Apple Macintosh, UNIX and VMS
systems.

Link for RasMol : http://www.openrasmol.org/#features_rasmol
RasMol Features:
The program consists of two windows:
 For the command line
 For providing the graphics.
1. Input file format:
The input file can be in PDB format and can be downloaded from the
PDB structure database.
 Protein Data Bank (PDB) files can be downloaded for visualization
from members of the Worldwide Protein Data Bank (wwPDB). These
have been uploaded by researchers who have characterized the
structureof molecules usually by X-ray crystallography, protein NMR
spectroscopy, or cryo-electron microscopy.

2. Display:
There are different ways of displaying coordinates. These include:-
wireframe, sticks, spacefill, strands & cartoons.
 The initial image is shown as a „wire” model.
 -from the Display menu one can choose other
visualisation styles such as „spacefill”, „stick”, „ball and
stick” as well as the visually most attractive „ribbon” and
„cartoon” models.
 In the last two styles, alpha helices are rendered as helical ribbons and
beta structures as flat arrows pointing in the direction of the
polypeptide chain.
3. Colour:
 The atoms of the model can be coloured by the standard CPK (named
after Corey, Pauling and Koltun)
To color by atom type : Colours/CPK

 Carbon: gray
 Hydrogen: white
 Oxygen: red
 Nitrogen: blue
 Sulfur: yellow
 Iron: yellow
 The protein can be coloured based on polypeptide chains, the
chemical property of the amino acids.
 To color by the protein-secondary structure: Colours/Structure
  -helices: magenta
  -sheets: yellow
 turns: pale blue
 all other residues: white
 The structure can be cut in the z-dimension
 The left and right mouse buttons can be used to rotate the protein along
the „x” and „y” axes.
4. For moving the molecule(s):
Action PC
Rotation Left-mouse
button (Click & Hold)
Translation Right-mouse
button (Click & Hold)
Zoom <alt><SHIFT> and
left-mouse button
Z-Rotation <alt><SHIFT>and
right-mouse button
5. Atom Selection and view:
 By clicking any part of the structure, the residue number of the given
chain and the particular atom will be shown in the command window.

 One can select a chain, a particular residue or segment of the chain by
using the „select” command. „Select 25A” in the command window
means that the 25th residue of chain A will be selected.
 The name of the residue can also be used. A segment of a chain can also
be selected: for example, „select 1-33” means that the first 33 residues of
the chain will be selected.
 If the structure contains a ligand (coenzyme, substrate, metal ion etc.)
besides the polypeptide chain, it can be selected by the „hetero”
command or by its name (e.g. „ca” refers to a Ca2+
ion).
 The background of the image can be set by the „background color”
syntax.
 If we want to remove part of the structure, it can be done by using the
„restrict” command (e.g. „restrict 1-56” will remove the rendering of the
chain from residue 57 to the C-terminal end).
 One can save the modified structure (e.g. for later manipulation) by the
„write script” command and a file name.
 The finished structure can be saved in common graphics file formats
(gif, jpeg, etc.).
 The „help” menu can explain many additional commands that can be
used to manipulate the structure.
References:
http://www.chemistry.wustl.edu/~edudev/rasdir.html
https://www.bioch.ox.ac.uk/www-courses/molecular_graphics/
https://slideplayer.com/slide/11477823/

Protein structure visualisation tools-RasMol

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