BIOL368/F16:Class Journal Week 9

Anindita Varshneya

1. Did you learn anything that deepened your understanding of protein structure from this assignment? If so, what?
2. What is not (yet) clear?
3. Read the following article from Science Daily News about a relatively recent advance in solving a protein structure from a virus related to HIV.
   1. Explain whether you would be interested in playing this game and why or why not?
   2. Do you think that games like this could assist you in learning about protein structure? (I'm not asking you to play it, per se, although you can if you want; I just want you to comment based on reading the article.)

User: Zachary T. Goldstein

1. Did you learn anything that deepened your understanding of protein structure from this assignment? If so, what?
   • I don't feel like I have learned anything new about understanding protein structure from this assignment, but I believe that is largely due to the fact that the assignment covered surface level information (or at least the parts that I was able to complete). I learned that there exists a database which holds a ton of information about specific proteins such as gp160, but have learned nothing new about protein structure.
2. What is not (yet) clear?
   • What is not yet clear is how protein structure and amino acid composition relates to function of proteins. I'm curious to see how nonsynonymous mutations can effect how proteins function within a cell through our HIV-1 structural project. I hope to learn how to use software that can project how these physical changes effect protein function.
3. Read the following article from Science Daily News about a relatively recent advance in solving a protein structure from a virus related to HIV. Explain whether you would be interested in playing this game and why or why not? Do you think that games like this could assist you in learning about protein structure? (I'm not asking you to play it, per se, although you can if you want; I just want you to comment based on reading the article.)
   • I would probably be interested in playing the game, although I think only in a classroom setting; I can't really see myself playing a "game" like this outside of a direct school-related setting. I think the concept of combining human and computer power is a really strong and powerful tool as we look into the future of scientific discovery, but it just doesn't seem like something I would do in my free time. On the other hand, I do think a lot could be learned from a program like this and it would be a very interesting assignment if students had to join the game and demonstrate progress. This game provides a necessary framework for bringing the power of humans and computer together which results in discoveries such as the molecular structure of a retroviral protease which plays a critical role in AIDS progression. Additionally I like the idea of public people working on a project and then submitting it to researchers who specialize in the field, as long as due credit is given to the gamers who make the discovery.

Zachary T. Goldstein 18:20, 27 October 2016 (EDT)Zachary T. Goldstein

Matthew K. Oki

1. Did you learn anything that deepened your understanding of protein structure from this assignment? If so, what?
2. What is not (yet) clear?
3. Read the following article from Science Daily News about a relatively recent advance in solving a protein structure from a virus related to HIV.
   • Explain whether you would be interested in playing this game and why or why not?
     • I think I would be interested in playing the game. It interests me for two reasons. First, it's just intriguing that a group of scientists made a "game" all about science that gamers would want to play at all. So, it would just be fun to see exactly how the game works in that aspect. Secondly, I like pattern folding types of problems. It makes me think outside of the 2-D dimensions of a piece of paper. It is also very challenging. Overall, it sounds like an interesting game.
   • Do you think that games like this could assist you in learning about protein structure? (I'm not asking you to play it, per se, although you can if you want; I just want you to comment based on reading the article.)
     • I believe I could contribute at some level. Maybe not the extent of finding the confirmation of an entire enzyme of a retrovirus, but something smaller scale. I'm not sure exactly what that would be, maybe a portion of the virus, but I think it's very possible for many people to make a difference.

• Matthew K. Oki 21:34, 27 October 2016 (EDT):