Alpha-Carbon Backbone Format.

Our most common format is an alpha-carbon backbone model...constructed of nylon by Selective Laser Sintering (SLS). These models are very durable and somewhat flexible. They (usually) will not break when dropped on the floor.

These backbone models clearly reveal the overall folding pattern in the protein. Hydrogen bonds are routinely used to stabilize the structure of beta-sheets in the model. Additional "connectors" can be added to the model to stabilize the correct postion of floppy domains of structure. In addition, these backbone models are often further elaborated with critical sidechains....in either sticks or ball-and-sticks format....and with substrates or ligands.

For a closer look at the range of features that can be incorporated into these nylon SLS backbone models, check out the zinc finger series shown below.