Determining crystal structures through crowdsourcing and coursework
Authors: Horowitz Scott , Koepnick Brian , Martin Raoul , Tymieniecki Agnes , Winburn Amanda A. , Cooper Seth , Flatten Jeff , Rogawski David S. , Koropatkin Nicole M. , Hailu Tsinatkeab T. , Jain Neha , Koldewey Philipp , Ahlstrom Logan S. , Chapman Matthew R. , Sikkema Andrew P. , Skiba Meredith A. , Maloney Finn P. , Beinlich Felix R. M. ,   Foldit Players, Caglar Ahmet , Coral Alan , Jensen Alice Elizabeth , Lubow Allen , Boitano Amanda , Lisle Amy Elizabeth , Maxwell Andrew T. , Failer Barb , Kaszubowski Bartosz , Hrytsiv Bohdan , Vincenzo Brancaccio , de Melo Cruz Breno Renan , McManus Brian Joseph , Kestemont Bruno , Vardeman Carl , Comisky Casey , Neilson Catherine , Landers Catherine R. , Ince Christopher , Buske Daniel Jon , Totonjian Daniel , Copeland David Marshall , Murray David , Jagieła Dawid , Janz Dietmar , Wheeler Douglas C. , Cali Elie , Croze Emmanuel , Rezae Farah , Martin Floyd Orville , Beecher Gil , de Jong Guido Alexander , Ykman Guy , Feldmann Harald , Chan Hugo Paul Perez , Kovanecz Istvan , Vasilchenko Ivan , Connellan James C. , Borman Jami Lynne , Norrgard Jane , Kanfer Jebbie , Canfield Jeffrey M. , Slone Jesse David , Oh Jimmy , Mitchell Joanne , Bishop John , Kroeger John Douglas , Schinkler Jonas , McLaughlin Joseph , Brownlee June M. , Bell Justin , Fellbaum Karl Willem , Harper Kathleen , Abbey Kirk J. , Isaksson Lennart E. , Wei Linda , Cummins Lisa N. , Miller Lori Anne , Bain Lyn , Carpenter Lynn , Desnouck Maarten , Sharma Manasa G. , Belcastro Marcus , Szew Martin , Szew Martin , Britton Matthew , Gaebel Matthias , Power Max , Cassidy Michael , Pfützenreuter Michael , Minett Michele , Wesselingh Michiel , Yi Minjune , Cameron Neil Haydn Tormey , Bolibruch Nicholas I. , Benevides Noah , Kathleen Kerr Norah , Barlow Nova , Crevits Nykole Krystyne , Dunn Paul , Roque Paulo Sergio Silveira Belo Nascimen , Riber Peter , Pikkanen Petri , Shehzad Raafay , Viosca Randy , James Fraser Robert , Leduc Robert , Madala Roman , Shnider Scott , de Boisblanc Sharon , Butkovich Slava , Bliven Spencer , Hettler Stephen , Telehany Stephen , Schwegmann Steven A. , Parkes Steven , Kleinfelter Susan C. , Michael Holst Sven , van der Laan T. J. A. , Bausewein Thomas , Simon Vera , Pulley Warwick , Hull William ,   University of Michigan students, Kim Annes Yukyung , Lawton Alexis , Ruesch Amanda , Sundar Anjali , Lawrence Anna-Lisa , Afrin Antara , Maheshwer Bhargavi , Turfe Bilal , Huebner Christian , Killeen Courtney Elizabeth , Antebi-Lerrman Dalia , Luan Danny , Wolfe Derek , Pham Duc , Michewicz Elaina , Hull Elizabeth , Pardington Emily , Galal Galal Osama , Sun Grace , Chen Grace , Anderson Halie E. , Chang Jane , Hewlett Jeffrey Thomas , Sterbenz Jennifer , Lim Jiho , Morof Joshua , Lee Junho , Inn Juyoung Samuel , Hahm Kaitlin , Roth Kaitlin , Nair Karun , Markin Katherine , Schramm Katie , Toni Eid Kevin , Gam Kristina , Murphy Lisha , Yuan Lucy , Kana Lulia , Daboul Lynn , Shammas Mario Karam , Chason Max , Sinan Moaz , Andrew Tooley Nicholas , Korakavi Nisha , Comer Patrick , Magur Pragya , Savliwala Quresh , Davison Reid Michael , Sankaran Roshun Rajiv , Lee Sam , Tamkus Saule , Chen Shirley , Harvey Sho , Hwang Sin Ye , Vatsia Sohrab , Withrow Stefan , Luther Tahra K , Manett Taylor , Johnson Thomas James , Ryan Brash Timothy , Kuhlman Wyatt , Park Yeonjung , Popović Zoran , Baker David , Khatib Firas , Bardwell James C. A. 
Published: September 2016

AbstractWe show here that computer game players can build high-quality crystal structures. Introduction of a new feature into the computer game Foldit allows players to build and real-space refine structures into electron density maps. To assess the usefulness of this feature, we held a crystallographic model-building competition between trained crystallographers, undergraduate students, Foldit players and automatic model-building algorithms. After removal of disordered residues, a team of Foldit players achieved the most accurate structure. Analysing the target protein of the competition, YPL067C, uncovered a new family of histidine triad proteins apparently involved in the prevention of amyloid toxicity. From this study, we conclude that crystallographers can utilize crowdsourcing to interpret electron density information and to produce structure solutions of the highest quality.