Placeholder image of a protein
Icon representing a puzzle

1794: CRISPR-Cas Transposase Part I: Electron Density

Closed since about 6 years ago

Advanced Overall Prediction Electron Density

Summary

Created
January 31, 2020
Expires
Max points
100
Description

Fold the transposase protein into a density map! This is a followup to Puzzle 1784: CRISPR-Cas Transposase Part I, now with a cryo-EM density map! Players may load in previous work from Puzzle 1784.



CRISPR-Cas is a mixed complex of RNA and proteins, which work together to make a very precise cut in a cell's DNA. Scientists recently discovered a variant of CRISPR-Cas that coopts a new protein called a transposase. In addition to cutting DNA, the transposase also allows precise insertion of new material into a target DNA strand. This new variant could lead to more efficient gene editing with CRISPR-Cas! New cryoEM experiments have shed some light on the transposase structure, which was previously unknown.



We're asking Foldit players to help solve how this transposase protein folds! The transposase is a large 400-residue protein, so this puzzle only includes the first half of the protein, and we will post the second half of the protein in a follow-up puzzle. In this puzzle we've provided only the portion of density for this half of the transposase protein.



Sequence:

MFLQRPKPYSDESLESFFIRVANKNGYGDVHRFLEATKRFLQDIDHNGYQTFPTDITRINPYSAKNSSSARTASFLKLAQLTFNEPPELLGLAINRTNMKYSPSTSAVVRGAEVFPRSLLRTHSIPCCPLCLRENGYASYLWHFQGYEYCHSHNVPLITTCSCGKEFDYRVSGLKGICCKCKEPITLT

Top groups

  1. Avatar for Go Science
    1. Go Science
    100 pts. 21,605
  2. Avatar for Anthropic Dreams 2. Anthropic Dreams 73 pts. 21,302
  3. Avatar for Beta Folders 3. Beta Folders 52 pts. 17,402
  4. Avatar for Contenders 4. Contenders 36 pts. 16,956
  5. Avatar for Hold My Beer 5. Hold My Beer 24 pts. 16,628
  6. Avatar for L'Alliance Francophone 6. L'Alliance Francophone 16 pts. 16,292
  7. Avatar for Marvin's bunch 7. Marvin's bunch 10 pts. 16,174
  8. Avatar for HMT heritage 8. HMT heritage 6 pts. 15,654
  9. Avatar for FoldIt@Netherlands 9. FoldIt@Netherlands 4 pts. 14,426
  10. Avatar for Gargleblasters 10. Gargleblasters 2 pts. 14,383
  1. Avatar for fiendish_ghoul
    1. fiendish_ghoul Lv 1
    100 pts. 21,712
  2. Avatar for ZeroLeak7 2. ZeroLeak7 Lv 1 97 pts. 21,594
  3. Avatar for Bautho 3. Bautho Lv 1 93 pts. 21,358
  4. Avatar for Susume 4. Susume Lv 1 90 pts. 21,302
  5. Avatar for retiredmichael 5. retiredmichael Lv 1 87 pts. 17,310
  6. Avatar for TastyMunchies 6. TastyMunchies Lv 1 84 pts. 17,102
  7. Avatar for Bruno Kestemont 7. Bruno Kestemont Lv 1 81 pts. 17,100
  8. Avatar for grogar7 8. grogar7 Lv 1 78 pts. 17,065
  9. Avatar for Bletchley Park 9. Bletchley Park Lv 1 75 pts. 16,956
  10. Avatar for Galaxie 10. Galaxie Lv 1 72 pts. 16,872

Comments

Merf Lv 1

I wonder if these comments are actually monitored. Perhaps the powers
that be at Foldit just couldn't care less! Hmmm, a tricky one.

Merf.

bkoep Staff Lv 1

Not sure why the scoreboards are having trouble with these CRISPR puzzles… Still haven't been able to track down the issue

bkoep Staff Lv 1

We want to do a quick first pass on both parts of this protein in just a couple weeks. If it seems like there is more to be done after that, we can post follow-ups with more time (and with sharing enabled from previous puzzles).

alwen Lv 1

So frustrating! All those large sidechains (tyrosine, phenylalanine, tryptophan) and I can hardly pick out a one!

horowsah Staff Lv 1

It's an issue with the underlying cryoEM data… this is the best that could be done in the experiment. When the data isn't great, it makes things hard.