Placeholder image of a protein
Icon representing a puzzle

Beginner Puzzle (<150): Coronavirus

Closed since about 6 years ago

Beginner Beginner Beginner Beginner Beginner Beginner

Summary

Created
March 03, 2020
Expires
Max points
100
Description

Design a protein binder against coronavirus! The starting structure shows how the coronavirus spike protein binds to a human receptor protein. The coronavirus protein (in gray) is mostly frozen, except for the orange and blue sidechains at the binding site. The binding site of coronavirus sticks to the human protein (in color), and this allows the coronavirus to infect human cells. We want to design a new protein that can bind to coronavirus more tightly than the human protein! A tight binder could block the normal coronavirus-human interaction, and might be used as an antiviral drug against coronavirus! Refold and mutate the starting structure to increase your score and improve binding against coronavirus!



START HERE:

If you are new to Foldit, here are detailed instructions to get you started:

http://fold.it/portal/node/988864

_____________________________


If you want to fold proteins, know that there are many ways to play and this variety is the main value of Foldit :

- try all puzzles not only "Beginners" ones,

- fold first the ones you like the most,

- try it by yourself to understand what works and what doesn't,

- ask for tips in global chat when you think you don't understand something.

Top groups

  1. Avatar for Foldit UK 51. Foldit UK 6 pts. 12,995
  2. Avatar for Covid19Busters 52. Covid19Busters 6 pts. 12,988
  3. Avatar for Rotaract Club Darmstadt 53. Rotaract Club Darmstadt 5 pts. 12,987
  4. Avatar for Mojo Risin' 54. Mojo Risin' 5 pts. 12,984
  5. Avatar for Gyim_5 55. Gyim_5 5 pts. 12,975
  6. Avatar for GUGITBIOTECH 56. GUGITBIOTECH 4 pts. 12,974
  7. Avatar for Deleted group 57. Deleted group pts. 12,972
  8. Avatar for Villanova ChE 58. Villanova ChE 4 pts. 12,972
  9. Avatar for Mariner2020 59. Mariner2020 3 pts. 12,964
  10. Avatar for Carlson Lab 60. Carlson Lab 3 pts. 12,964
  1. Avatar for Emilio Facchetti 6311. Emilio Facchetti Lv 1 1 pt. 11,907
  2. Avatar for muthalvan 6312. muthalvan Lv 1 1 pt. 11,907
  3. Avatar for gvalianini 6313. gvalianini Lv 1 1 pt. 11,906
  4. Avatar for bethbaldock 6314. bethbaldock Lv 1 1 pt. 11,906
  5. Avatar for kutayyyyy 6315. kutayyyyy Lv 1 1 pt. 11,906
  6. Avatar for swan418 6316. swan418 Lv 1 1 pt. 11,906
  7. Avatar for nansyg21 6317. nansyg21 Lv 1 1 pt. 11,906
  8. Avatar for claatou 6318. claatou Lv 1 1 pt. 11,906
  9. Avatar for sohamrajput7 6319. sohamrajput7 Lv 1 1 pt. 11,906
  10. Avatar for mastercpt 6320. mastercpt Lv 1 1 pt. 11,906

Comments

bkoep Staff Lv 1

The solutions from this Beginner puzzle are incompatible with other non-Beginner puzzles,. Players may not load solutions from this puzzle into other coronavirus puzzles.