Gene regulation involves interaction of specific chemical groups in DNA sequences with particular amino acids in gene regulatory proteins. Effective presentation of these associations requires visualization of 3-dimensional molecular structures. Files or programs can be downloaded from the addresses given in 'sites'. These can be visualized using programs that plot a 3-dimensional representation of the molecule on the computer screen. This can be manipulated with a mouse to examine various chemical bonds.
Lectures require many visual aids to help explain complex relationships.
Using netscape as a presentation manager. Explanatory text is displayed on one half of the screen, simple diagrams or molecular graphics on the other. This displays a 'live' molecular graphic which can be manipulated with the mouse. If the text in one frame refers to a particular contact in a structure, it can contain a programmed button which might alter the display to highlight these amino acids in the associated graphic. For instance, it might change the colour of a certain amino acid or zoom in to examine a particular interaction in detail.