Protein Modeling Challenge
for High School Students
Sponsored by
OSI Pharmaceuticals Foundation
Hosted by
Center for Science and Mathematics Education
| Date of Competition: | April 3, 2009 |
| Registration Date: |
January 12, 2009 |
| Cost: |
$35/team |
(for a printable version of this description: click here)
- Description: Students will use computer visualization and on-line resources to design and build a physical model of a protein using Mini-Toober®1 materials. Students will send a pre-built model prior to the competition for judging. At the competition, students will construct a specific region of the same protein used for the pre-build and answer questions regarding the structure, function, application, importance and history of the modeled protein.
Team: Up to three students - This competition is designed for students taking AP Biology who have completed or are taking Regents level chemistry.
Time: 50 minutes for Part II and 50 minutes for Part III
- Event Parameters: Students may not bring any materials or computers of any kind into the on-site competition. The pre-build model will be sent to Stony Brook University 10 days beforeto the on-site competition.
- Competition: This event has three parts: a pre-built model (Part I), an on-site build model (Part II) and an on-site exam (Part III).
a. Part I: The Pre-Build Model. Students will use a computer visualization program (Ex: Jmol or RasMol) to design and construct a model of a specific protein based; we will designate the protein to be modeled. Software for this project can be downloaded for free from the RCSB Protein Data Bank (www.pdb.org). Registered teams will be provided with a Mini-Toober® for the alpha-carbon backbone of the protein. Students will represent other important parts of the protein, such as amino acid side chains, DNA or associated molecules, where applicable, with materials of their choosing. The additions to the Mini-Toober® model should focus on illustrating the significance of the structure to the function of the protein. A significant portion of the score will be derived from the creative additions to the Mini-Toober® model. Students must provide a 3x5 note card explaining the creative additions to their model and what they represent. Models will be sent to Stony Brook University by March 25, 2008 for judging. The models will be returned to each team at the end of the competition.
b. Part II: The On-Site Model. During the on-site competition, students will design and build a physical model of a selected region of the protein, again based on the PDB file. Students will use a computer provided at the competition with the Jmol application, a text editor, PDB file, structure summary page and support files. Students may only use one of the computers provided at the competition with the above-mentioned files on it to guide their model construction. Any model handed to the judges after the end of the competition time (50 minutes) will not be accepted for scoring.
c. Part III: The On-Site Written Exam. During this section of the competition, students will complete a multiple choice/short answer written exam with questions about the relationship between protein structure and function, with an emphasis on the protein modeled. During the on-site competition, students may use only the materials provided to answer the questions. Question content may not be limited to these materials. Any test papers handed to the judges after the end of the competition time (50 minutes) will not be accepted for scoring.
- Scoring: 40% of the event score will be based on the pre-build protein model (Part I), 30% on the on-site build (Part II) and 30% on the written exam (Part III). The pre-build protein model (Part I) will be scored based on the accuracy and scale of the alpha-helix and beta-sheet secondary structures, other elaborations and enhancements on the protein backbone such as side chains, DNA or associated molecules. The focus of the model should be on creatively telling the story of the molecule’s significance, structure and function. The on-site build protein model (Part II) will be scored based on accuracy of folding the Mini-Toober model and positioning specific amino acid side chains and/or accessory molecules. The exam (Part III) will be scored for accuracy. Ties will be broken using questions on the written exam selected by the event supervisor before the start of the competition.
References: MSOE CBM Science Olympiad Webpage (www.rpc.msoe.edu/cbm/scienceolympiad) with an overview of the event (PowerPoint file) and downloadable resources, and the RCSBPDB Homepage (www.pdb.org)
1 Mini-Toobers® are products of 3D Molecular Designs, 2223 North 72nd Street, Wauwatosa, WI 53213, (414)774-6562, Fax : (414)774-3435. Web site: www.3dmoleculardesigns.com)
For questions, please contact:
Joan Kiely at joan.kiely@stonybrook.edu
Upcoming Events
November 15 & December 6, 2008: Workshop for Science Olympiad coaches
December 5, 2008: Astronomy Open Science Night - "Out with a Bang! (or a Whimper!): The Death of a Massive Star", Dr. Douglas Swesty
December 6, 2008: Manya: A Living History of Madame Marie Curie at Brookhaven National Laboratory
December 12, 2008: Physics Open Science Night - "The Physics of Quarks and Gluons at High Temperatures", Dr. Prof. Derek Teaney
December 15, 2008: Deadline for HHMI International Fellowship applications
February 13, 2009: Living World Open Science Night Lecture - "Celebration of Darwin's Bicentennial", lecture by distinguished biologist, Dr. Stephen Stearns, Yale University
February 17, 2009: Provostial Lecture by Dr. Uri Treisman (University of Texas at Austin), "Science and Mathematics Education"