MOLECULAR LANDSCAPES BY DAVID S. GOODSELL
Respiratory Droplet
Acknowledgement: Illustration by David S. Goodsell, RCSB Protein Data Bank; doi: 10.2210/rcsb_pdb/goodsell-gallery-024
This painting shows a cross section through a small respiratory droplet, like the ones that are thought to transmit SARS-CoV-2. The virus is shown in magenta, and the droplet is also filled with molecules that are present in the respiratory tract, including mucins (green), pulmonary surfactant proteins and lipids (blue), and antibodies (tan).
The painting was created as part of the show “New Ways of Living” with SciCommMake.
The image also appears on the cover of the March-April 2021 issue of American Scientist.
Winner, 2021 BioArt Award (Other Life Science Images Category)
National Finalist, Wiki Science Competition 2021 (Wikipedia)
Selected Sources of Information:
Arroyo R, et al. (2018) Supramolecular assembly of human pulmonary surfactant protein SP-D. J. Mol. Biol. 430, 1495-1509.
Vejerano EP & Marr LC (2018) Physico-chemical characteristics of evaporating respiratory fluid droplets. J. R. Soc. Interface 15, 20170939.
Bredberg A. (2012) Exhaled endogenous particles contain lung proteins. Clin. Chem. 58, 431-440.
Serrano AG & Perez-Gil J (2006) Protein–lipid interactions and surface activity in the pulmonary surfactant system. Chem. Phys. Lipids 141, 105-118.
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