Life is three-dimensional. This extends to life's molecular building blocks--proteins, DNA, and RNA. PDB-101 offers
tools to explore the molecules of biological processes that define life. The Structural View of Biology interface
starts with key topic categories and subcategories that will drill down to individual molecules. It is built
around the Molecule of the Month series. Educational Resources provides activities and materials for
learning, and Understanding PDB Data helps interpret the data archived in the PDB.
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Protein and nucleic acid structures provide us with a unique understanding of our own bodies, and a profound appreciation of the similarity of our bodies with those of all other organisms on Earth.
These structures have revealed the atomic details of molecular processes throughout the body, shedding light on everything from the mechanisms of immunity to the powering of muscle contractions, from
the molecular basis of viral infection to the subtle molecular motions of thought and emotion. These molecules are complex and intricate, often with wildly unimaginable shapes. They fit together like
lock and key; they spin like wheels; they build, edit, repair and digest; they stretch like rubber or are as sturdy as concrete. The PDB archive was conceived by the research community as the primary
resource for archiving of biomolecular structures, and as such, it contains a staggering amount of information. Tens of thousands of these structures are available from the PDB archive for use in
research, education, or simply for personal inspiration.
The Structural View of Biology introduces readers to a select portion of the PDB. It focuses on the biological function of the molecules, and is built around the Molecule of the Month
series, which regularly introduces to the structure and function of a molecule, discusses its relevance to health and disease, and provides interactive views, discussion topics, and links to related
entries.
To explore PDB-101, select links from the top left pull-down. To access the RCSB PDB site, click on the logo at the top of the page.
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for citation and reprint information. Copies of the illustrations used in these features are available for download
as high resolution TIFF images.
Please note that the structures used to illustrate each installment are chosen at the discretion of the authors;
the features are not intended to represent a historical record. The process behind the
creation of this feature
is described by the author.
