Hannover offered brilliant crystallography but unfortunately, not crystal-clear air

I also couldn’t resist to stop by in the Wilhelm Busch Museum of Caricature and Drawings en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wilhelm....

Carnivalistic Protein Art

Protein: Histone chaperone RbAp46 (www.rcsb.org/structure/3cfs)
Drawing: Cologne Fools’ Guild

This protein helps to organize #histones, the spools around which DNA is wrapped, and regulates genes involved in cell growth and transition.

#Carnival #Cologne #ProteinArt

Interestingly, the word “cancer” comes from the Latin for “crab” because some tumors resemble crabs with their radiating “legs.” images.slideplayer.com/42/11199685/...

Protein: #ErbB4 (www.rcsb.org/structure/2ahx)
Drawing: “A Crab at Rest”

The receptor tyrosine kinase ErbB4 is like a multi-module signal hub, consisting of a receptor and an enzyme. The receptor part receives signals, while the enzyme part sparks action inside the cell.

BACE1 in Alzheimer’s Disease

Drawing: “Worn out sack of memories”
Protein: #BACE1 (www.rcsb.org/structure/1SGZ)

#Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive brain disorder that slowly destroys memory, thinking skills, and the ability to carry out simple tasks.

To do this, it binds to a specialized receptor on the cell's surface. The "fly" in the drawing is inspired by the structure of an insulin dimer. Three of these dimers come together to form the inactive storage form of insulin, which is stabilized by a zinc ion.
upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/co...

The Insulin Fly

Protein: Insulin, www.rcsb.org/structure/3ir0

#Insulin is one of the best-known hormones that plays a key role in managing our metabolism. In its active form, a single insulin molecule (half of the "fly") helps to lower blood sugar levels by triggering cells to take up glucose.

Here’s where it gets exciting: the freshly assembled necklaces don’t stay flat. They immediately fold into complex three-dimensional structures. Each bead acts like a magnet, attracting or repelling others depending on its charge. This folding determines the protein’s function

Let’s take a closer look at what we’re actually consuming. A protein molecule can be imagined as a colorful bead necklace, with each bead representing an amino acid linked to others by a thread. During digestion, this necklace is broken into individual beads.

What is a #protein?
For the general public, proteins are just nutrients, like fats, carbohydrates, or other delicious foods. They are often associated with nothing more than eggs or muscle-building shakes.

Welcome to my blog, where science meets art! Here, I share my creations inspired by the incredible world of proteins. Proteins are the building blocks of life, essential for every living organism — no cell could function or even exist without them.