Outreach and Education

The 3D structure of the Zika virus, determined by cryo-electron microscopy, was recently released in the PDB archive. Public availability of the Zika virus atomic coordinates to medical researchers worldwide will accelerate new antiviral drug and vaccine development.

Build a paper model of the Zika virus based on this entry in this new PDB-101 activity.

PDB ID 5ire
The 3.8Å resolution cryo-EM structure of Zika virus Devika Sirohi, Zhenguo Chen, Lei Sun, Thomas Klose, Theodore C. Pierson, Michael G. Rossmann, Richard J. Kuhn Science (2016)
doi: 10.1126/science.aaf5316

For the third year, RCSB PDB invites all high school students to create short videos that tell a molecular story of health and disease. This year's focus is the structural view of sugar metabolism and its complications leading to diabetes. To get started, teams are encouraged to use PDB-101 materials related to diabetes and molecular visualization.

Videos may be submitted until  May 29, 2016. Award winners will be announced on June 14, 2016.

For more information, sign up for the Video Challenge Monthly Newsletter or visit the challenge webpage.

A PDF flyer describing this challenge is available for download and distribution.

Teams are scored on protein models built in advance, smaller models built during the competition, and a written exam.

Protein modeling is one of several competitive events taking place at Science Olympiad tournaments across the country and in the National events in May. Teams are recognized for their performance in individual events and in the overall tournament.

In protein modeling, teams of high school students demonstrate their understanding of protein structure and function by building 3D models. The theme of this year's event, designed by MSOE and RCSB PDB, is focused on biosynthesis and subsequent signaling of dopamine and serotonin. Background materials for protein modeling are hosted by MSOE and RCSB PDB.

RCSB PDB recently judged ~150 models in regional and state competitions in New Jersey and California. In New Jersey, the team from West Windsor-Plainsboro High School North came in first place, both in the protein modeling event and in the overall State competition.

Many thanks to the RCSB PDB judges, the NJ Science Olympiad organizers and volunteers, and the host colleges. 

Read about RCSB PDB resources and how they can be used in research and education:

RCSB Protein Data Bank: A Resource for Chemical, Biochemical, and Structural Explorations of Large and Small Biomolecules (2016) Christine Zardecki, Shuchismita Dutta, David S. Goodsell, Maria Voigt, and Stephen K. Burley J. Chem. Educ., 2016, 93 (3), pp 569-575
doi: 10.1021/acs.jchemed.5b00404