Abstract
Oh what a tangled web we weave, when proteins we practice to perceive. Ever try to build a protein using a classic chemistry ball-and-stick model set? It can be a mess. And even though computer programs allow scientists to build and manipulate protein structures in silico, the simulations lack the tangible benefits of being, well, tangible. Now, thanks to a collaboration between a chemistry professor and a sculptor, anyone can build models of α-helices, β-sheets, and even whole proteins with the Tangle Proteins Building Set. The kit costs about $35 (from online retailer ThinkGeek) and comes with multicolored plastic pieces that fit together to make all manner of protein models. An instruction booklet guides users through the construction of three different proteins: streptococcal protein G, ubiquitin, and ω-conotoxin MVIIA. The story of the set’s invention starts 10 years ago on a rainy day in Aberdeen, Scotland. There are many rainy ...
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