Dear friends and readers of my blog, as I am always looking for new inputs for my protein art, I decided to post a call for protein structures. Are you working on a certain structure or did you just hear of a protein and you would like to see it as a funny drawing? Just ask me in the comments on this post and I will try to fulfill your orders!
Here is an example of a protein ordered by a reader of my blog (on livejournal). It’s the protein Runx1. I have produced two variants. In these drawings you see the protein from two different perspectives.
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“The Hounter“
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Runx1 is a transcription factor. It means that this protein can bind and regulate certain regions of DNA. Runx1 plays a role in the production of blood cells. People with a defective variant of this protein can develop a certain type of leukemia.
Like this:
Protein Data Bank ID: 1NFI
Protein Name: Ankyrin Repeat Domain of IκBα
Organism: Escherichia coli
Title of Drawing: “Five Seals”
I know, I’m a little late. But I don’t want to miss this post as March 22. was the International Day of Seals. So here are the seals based on the IκBα protein, which, by the way, has been suggested by a guest of my blog.
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IκBα belongs to the family of proteins which can inhibit the nuclear factor NF-κB. Therefore, first, it is important to understand the function of the latter protein. NF-κB is a transcription factor, meaning that it can go to the nucleus and bind DNA thereby controlling the transcription of special genes. This translocation to the nucleus requires some activating processes. In the case of NF-κB activation happens upon stress such as irradiation, free radicals, bacterial and viral intrusion, etc. This leads to a specific response helping the cell to overcome these stress conditions. In an unstressed situation NF-κB is inactive. IκBα is responsible for the inactivation of NF-κB by binding and sequestering it in the cytoplasm, thereby preventing its translocation to the nucleus. This inhibition is necessary to avoid chronic activation of NF-κB which might lead to cancer. It is the here shown ankyrin repeat domain of IκBα by which it masks the nuclear localization signals domain of NF-κB. Generally, the ankyrin repeat domain is responsible for protein-protein interactions and can be found in many different proteins.
Like this:
Protein Data Bank ID: 1AEK
Protein Name: Adenylate Kinase
Organism: Escherichia coli
Title of Drawing: “Caesar”
This drawing is rather faraway from the original protein backbone (which you see on the left) but to me, it resembled Caesar. So here we go:
Adenylate kinase is an enzyme which catalyzes the transfer of phosphate groups between adenine nucleotides (molecules which are also part of our DNA). One of the molecules resulting from this reaction (ATP) is subsequently hydrolyzed and leads to release of energy which can be used, for example, to drive our muscles.
Like this:
Protein Data Bank ID: 3L1E
Protein Name: AlphaA Crystallin
Organism: Bos taurus
Title of Drawing: “The Eskimo”
There seems to be a good reason why an Eskimo is shown in this drawing. Interestingly, cataracts and glaucoma are prevalent in Alaska Native people.[*]
Like this:
Protein Data Bank ID: 1HC9
Protein Name: alpha-Bungarotoxin
Organism: Bungarus multicinctus
Title of Drawing: “Seal and Cats”
α-Bungarotoxin is a snake venom from the elapid Bungarus multicinctus. It irreversibly binds the acetylcholine receptor which is the main receptor at the neuromuscular junction. Thereby it permits the binding of the acetylcholine molecule which is responsible for signal transfer into muscles. Thus, alpha-bungarotoxin causes muscle paralysis which than results in respiratory failure and consequently in the death of the victim.
Like this:
Protein Data Bank ID: 3B4V
Protein Name: Activin A
Organism: Homo sapiens
Title of Drawing: “The Butterfly”
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Activin A is a dimeric protein complex which enhances the liberation of the follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) from the pituitary gland. Therefore activin indirectly controls the development and reproductive processes of the male as well as of the female body.
The protein data bank entry comprises four activin beta-A chains in complex with four follistatin-like 3 (FSTL3) proteins. The “Butterfly” consists of an activin beta-A dimer (Activin A protein).
Like this:
Recently my blog has been nominated for the Kreativ (1) and for the Versatile (2, 3) Blog Award
by 3 excellent bloggers:
- Dear Kitty Is a many sided blog where you will find topics such as: animals, peace and war, social justice, women’s issues, arts, and much more…
- Science Defined This blog is written by a biomedicine student, who is aiming to popularize science and to show its beauty.
- Four Blue Hills In this blog you can read about: politics, human rights, reading, computers, cultural anthropology, and much more… The blog has many illustrations and self-taken photographs.
Like this:
Protein Data Bank ID: 2FK3
Protein Name: Copper Binding Domain of APP
Organism: Homo sapiens
Title of Drawing: “Elephant’s Bath”
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The image gained by means of X-ray diffraction contains eight chains of the APP copper binding domain. Four chains are used for the elephant picture.
Via its copper binding domain Amyloid Precursor Protein (APP) can modulate copper transport. Cu-binding presumably leads to a reduction of Aβ levels which is a key player in the onset of Alzheimer’s disease. Therefore copper could have therapeutic effects on Alzheimer’s patients.
Like this:
Protein Data Bank ID: 3IRO
Protein Name: Insulin
Organism: Homo sapiens
Title of Drawing: “The Fly”
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Insulin is a famous hormone involved in the regulation of our metabolism. In its active form, as a monomer, it can reduce the level of glucose in blood by transporting the sugar into the cell. While inactive insulin is stored as a hexamer complexed with a zinc ion.
The drawing of the fly is produced from an insulin dimer.
Like this:
Protein Data Bank ID: 1Y7N
Protein Name: 2-nd PDZ Domain of Mint1
Organism: Homo sapiens
Title of Drawing: “Tango”
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And one more time: second PDZ domain of the neuronal adapter Mint1.
The same protein part as drawn in “The Parrot” and “Margarita’s Flight” but from a different perspective.
