Foldit Puzzles

2738: Electron Density Reconstruction 161

The structure of this protein-DNA complex has already been solved and published, but close inspection suggests that there are some problems with the published solution. We'd like to see if Foldit players can use the same electron density data to reconstruct a better model. This puzzle comes from PDB entry 2R5Z

2737: Revisiting Puzzle 77: Copper Chaperone

This is a throwback puzzle to the early days of Foldit. This protein binds copper ions so that they may be transported safely to the cell compartments and enzymes that require them. The protein is modeled here in the reduced state, so no disulfides are expected to form. We are revisiting old Foldit puzzles so we can see how useful the recent additions to the game have been.

2736: SF-1 Round 4

SF-1 (steroidogenic factor-1) is a nuclear receptor that helps control hormone balance by regulating genes involved in steroid production. Because SF-1 sits at the center of these pathways, adjusting its activity has strong therapeutic potential: SF-1 has been linked to obesity and metabolic dysfunction, plays important roles in reproduction, and is a proposed therapeutic target for endometriosis. SF-1 is also associated with several cancers—including the rare and aggressive adrenocortical carcinoma—making it a compelling but challenging drug target.

2735: Electron Density Reconstruction 160

The structure of this protein complex has already been solved and published, but close inspection suggests that there are some problems with the published solution. We'd like to see if Foldit players can use the same electron density data to reconstruct a better model. This puzzle comes from PDB entry 2PV3.

2734: Revisiting Puzzle 76: Plant Seed Protein

This is a throwback puzzle to the early days of Foldit. This storage protein is used to stockpile amino acids for future use, and is found at high concentration in the seeds of certain plants. This particular protein was used by scientists in 2011 to collect the highest-resolution crystal structure to date. This protein contains six cysteine residues that oxidize to form three disulfide bonds. We are revisiting old Foldit puzzles so we can see how useful the recent additions to the game have been.

2733: LRH-1 Round 4

LRH-1 (liver receptor homologue-1) is a nuclear receptor that helps control how the body balances fat and sugar metabolism by turning specific genes on and off. Because of this central role, tuning LRH-1 activity has shown therapeutic promise: synthetic compounds that modulate LRH-1 can reduce symptoms of inflammatory bowel disease and diabetes in mouse models. LRH-1 is also implicated in multiple cancers, making it an important, but notoriously difficult, drug target.

2732: Electron Density Reconstruction 159

The structure of this protein complex has already been solved and published, but close inspection suggests that there are some problems with the published solution. We'd like to see if Foldit players can use the same electron density data to reconstruct a better model. This puzzle comes from PDB entry 2OJQ.

2731: Revisiting Puzzle 75: Antifreeze Protein

This is a throwback puzzle to the early days of Foldit. This eelpout protein binds nucleated ice crystals to inhibit their growth. We are revisiting old Foldit puzzles so we can see how useful the recent additions to the game have been.

2730: SF-1 Round 3

SF-1 (steroidogenic factor-1) is a nuclear receptor that helps control hormone balance by regulating genes involved in steroid production. Because SF-1 sits at the center of these pathways, adjusting its activity has strong therapeutic potential: SF-1 has been linked to obesity and metabolic dysfunction, plays important roles in reproduction, and is a proposed therapeutic target for endometriosis. SF-1 is also associated with several cancers—including the rare and aggressive adrenocortical carcinoma—making it a compelling but challenging drug target.

2729: Electron Density Reconstruction 158

The structure of this protein complex has already been solved and published, but close inspection suggests that there are some problems with the published solution. We'd like to see if Foldit players can use the same electron density data to reconstruct a better model. This puzzle comes from PDB entry 2OEV.