Molecular Maya’s (mMaya) double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) kit automates the modeling, animation and visualization of structurally-accurate dsDNA. This course serves as an introduction to the kit and all its basic functionalities. We’ll begin with de novo modeling of dsDNA starting from a base-pair count, a DNA sequence or a custom- and/or PDB-derived curve. Molecular representation defaults as well as custom representations and color controls will also be introduced. The models are pre-rigged and animation/simulation-ready, so we will review the myriad ways in which one can control the strands, including shape holds, pose-to-pose morphing, controlling motion with turbulence and basic cloning operations like cleaving and ligating dsDNA strands. We will look at features to control the binding and/or sliding of proteins along the dynamic dsDNA model, such as strand mounts and meta-mounts. Finally we apply a combination of all these tools in a short final project that shows cyclic AMP Receptor protein (CRP) binding and bending a dynamic dsDNA strand based on an imported PDB co-crystal structure. This course will let you to take full advantage of mMaya’s dsDNA kit and reveal its unique advantages in production.

Learning Objectives:

• Gain an overview of the functionalities of the mMaya dsDNA Kit
  
• Learn how to quickly model and edit the representation and color of your dsDNA
• Understand how to control the animation/simulation of dsDNA and interaction with binding proteins
• Gain an understanding for the production challenges that the kit can help with, as well as those it is not well suited for.

Prerequisites:

• General knowledge of Maya and Molecular Maya preferred, but not required
  
• Download the mMaya plugin and the dsDNA kit