CYCLOOXYGENASE 1

To observe the binding of an aspirin to COX1, choose one of the following:

protein as wireframe, ligand as spacefill:
protein as spacefill, ligand as ball&stick:

Observe that a heme group in found in this enzyme. It is the symmetrical molecule with an iron at its center. Now rotate the molecule with your mouse. Observe that the catalytic site in this enzyme is in a deep, narrow cleft. Also, try the zoom feature by holding down the shift key and moving the mouse up and down.

Remember that you can zoom by depressing the SHIFT key and using the left mouse button. You can translate the molecule by depressing the CONTROL button and using the right mouse key.

(If you wish, adjust the display on your own. At first, when you have the enzyme visible, it will be in the "wireframe" mode. To see where the aspirin is lodged, right click and choose "select" then "hetero" then "ligand". {MAC users hold down mouse button to see menu.} Now that you have the non-protein atoms selected, right click and choose "display" then "spacefill" then "van der Waals". The aspirin should be visible in spacefilling representation embedded in the wireframe representation of the protein. Next, if you like, you can change the representation of the protein by choosing "select" and then "protein". Changing the "display" will now change the representation of the protein rather than the hetero molecules.)