Placeholder image of a protein
Icon representing a puzzle

Beginner Puzzle (<150): Coronavirus

Closed since almost 6 years ago

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 ON Medical Professions 81. ON Medical Professions 1 pt. 12,442
  2. Avatar for Mac Users 82. Mac Users 1 pt. 12,395
  3. Avatar for BWI 7th Grade Science 83. BWI 7th Grade Science 1 pt. 12,374
  4. Avatar for Proteomics_2020 84. Proteomics_2020 1 pt. 12,305
  5. Avatar for Speedfolders 85. Speedfolders 1 pt. 12,226
  6. Avatar for CHEM109-Worsham 86. CHEM109-Worsham 1 pt. 12,225
  7. Avatar for DSN @ Home 87. DSN @ Home 1 pt. 12,223
  8. Avatar for SP26 CHEM 351 Weldon 88. SP26 CHEM 351 Weldon 1 pt. 12,211
  9. Avatar for Dutch Power Cows 89. Dutch Power Cows 1 pt. 12,203
  10. Avatar for bmd 90. bmd 1 pt. 12,188
  1. Avatar for castialb 8451. castialb Lv 1 1 pt. 11,753
  2. Avatar for Dumerzac 8452. Dumerzac Lv 1 1 pt. 11,753
  3. Avatar for zy920 8453. zy920 Lv 1 1 pt. 11,753
  4. Avatar for cactbi 8454. cactbi Lv 1 1 pt. 11,753
  5. Avatar for JRFrank 8455. JRFrank Lv 1 1 pt. 11,753
  6. Avatar for jkjolley2 8456. jkjolley2 Lv 1 1 pt. 11,753
  7. Avatar for jannik.fil 8457. jannik.fil Lv 1 1 pt. 11,753
  8. Avatar for bkubicek 8458. bkubicek Lv 1 1 pt. 11,753
  9. Avatar for jagley 8459. jagley Lv 1 1 pt. 11,753
  10. Avatar for Kmile 8460. Kmile Lv 1 1 pt. 11,753

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.