Placeholder image of a protein
Icon representing a puzzle

1794: CRISPR-Cas Transposase Part I: Electron Density

Closed since over 6 years ago

Advanced Advanced Advanced Advanced Advanced Advanced Advanced Overall Overall Overall Overall Overall Overall Overall Prediction Prediction Prediction Prediction Prediction Prediction Prediction Electron Density Electron Density Electron Density Electron Density Electron Density Electron Density 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 Void Crushers 11. Void Crushers 1 pt. 14,059
  2. Avatar for Team New Zealand 12. Team New Zealand 1 pt. 10,861
  3. Avatar for Team South Africa 13. Team South Africa 1 pt. 8,958
  4. Avatar for Italiani Al Lavoro 14. Italiani Al Lavoro 1 pt. 7,785
  5. Avatar for Trinity Biology 15. Trinity Biology 1 pt. 6,586
  6. Avatar for Freedom Folders 16. Freedom Folders 1 pt. 3,669
  7. Avatar for GUGITBIOTECH 17. GUGITBIOTECH 1 pt. 0
  1. Avatar for guineapig 11. guineapig Lv 1 69 pts. 16,779
  2. Avatar for Steven Pletsch 12. Steven Pletsch Lv 1 67 pts. 16,628
  3. Avatar for Aubade01 13. Aubade01 Lv 1 64 pts. 16,386
  4. Avatar for christioanchauvin 14. christioanchauvin Lv 1 61 pts. 16,292
  5. Avatar for johnmitch 15. johnmitch Lv 1 59 pts. 16,288
  6. Avatar for dcrwheeler 16. dcrwheeler Lv 1 57 pts. 16,270
  7. Avatar for Phyx 17. Phyx Lv 1 55 pts. 16,225
  8. Avatar for Marvelz 18. Marvelz Lv 1 52 pts. 16,083
  9. Avatar for nicobul 19. nicobul Lv 1 50 pts. 16,041
  10. Avatar for LociOiling 20. LociOiling Lv 1 48 pts. 16,027

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.