Placeholder image of a protein
Icon representing a puzzle

Beginner Puzzle (<150): Coronavirus

Closed since almost 6 years ago

Beginner Intermediate

Summary


Created
April 15, 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 Gargleblasters 100 pts. 13,615
  2. Avatar for Penny-Arcade 2. Penny-Arcade 94 pts. 13,479
  3. Avatar for Go Science 3. Go Science 87 pts. 13,367
  4. Avatar for L'Alliance Francophone 4. L'Alliance Francophone 81 pts. 13,347
  5. Avatar for Contenders 5. Contenders 75 pts. 13,315
  6. Avatar for Chem Eng Thermo 6. Chem Eng Thermo 70 pts. 13,286
  7. Avatar for Fox Folds 7. Fox Folds 65 pts. 13,251
  8. Avatar for Anthropic Dreams 8. Anthropic Dreams 60 pts. 13,235
  9. Avatar for Hold My Beer 9. Hold My Beer 56 pts. 13,189
  10. Avatar for BOINC@Poland 10. BOINC@Poland 51 pts. 13,179

  1. Avatar for Ka Sa 411. Ka Sa Lv 1 40 pts. 12,981
  2. Avatar for Deleted player 412. Deleted player pts. 12,981
  3. Avatar for mediphysicsandmore 413. mediphysicsandmore Lv 1 40 pts. 12,981
  4. Avatar for phideaux3 414. phideaux3 Lv 1 39 pts. 12,981
  5. Avatar for pruneau_44 415. pruneau_44 Lv 1 39 pts. 12,980
  6. Avatar for LELE1964 416. LELE1964 Lv 1 39 pts. 12,980
  7. Avatar for sflowers 417. sflowers Lv 1 39 pts. 12,980
  8. Avatar for fanchunhui 418. fanchunhui Lv 1 39 pts. 12,980
  9. Avatar for bsw13 419. bsw13 Lv 1 39 pts. 12,980
  10. Avatar for tangofox10 420. tangofox10 Lv 1 39 pts. 12,979

Comments