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LEGO® Proteins

An IntroductionWith slides from

LEGO Protein Booklet 1

Kathy Vandiver, Ph.D. and Amanda Gruhl, Ph.D. Community Outreach and Education Program, Center for Environmental Health Sciences (CEHS),

MIT, Cambridge MA

© The LEGO Group and MIT All rights reservedKV Version 4-24-11

LEGO LESSON 1 PPT Proteins

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Teacher shows students this LEGO Protein model!

What do you notice about this model? Students should come up with at least three descriptors before going to the next slide….

Observations about the LEGO Protein model

LEGO Model: Real Protein:1) Has a flexible chain Has a flexible chain, folds into shapes 2) Is made of repeating units Is made o repeating units called amino acids3) Those repeating units have different shapes

Each real amino acid has a different chemical shape

4) Has 4 different colors Comes in different colors? Nope! There are 4 different kinds of amino acids….

Did you notice….

Check your classes’ answers here:

© The LEGO Group and MIT All rights reserved 3

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Where can you find proteins?

Keratin is a protein. Actin and myosin are proteins.

Cells Cells

Think about cells.

© The LEGO Group and MIT All rights reserved

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A quick review of cell parts. Looking for proteins? Think smaller.

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Proteins are in the cytoplasm …and in the cell membrane…and everywhere in the cell !

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Let’s get ready to build and fold

LEGO Proteins!

Teams receive kits + 2 layout mats. Clear the tables!

Copyright The LEGO Group and MIT All rights reserved

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Kit Check time! Layout mats make it easy.

What color are hydrophobic LEGO amino acids? This is the color of butter, salad oil, chicken fat…. Things that are hydrophobic!

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Each person picks up one amino acid. Find the 3 parts of an amino acid.

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Disconnecting amino acids is easy

Teacher shows how to correctly pull them apart.

1) Hold the large flat bricks of the side chain. 2) Pull.

Important! Watch Teacher Demonstration on how to connect and disconnect

Connecting amino acids is easy

Copyright The LEGO Group and MIT All rights reserved

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Could millions of different proteins be made?

1) Connect any 4 amino acids together

2) Keep the amino end (black brick end) to the left. This rule helps keep them in order.

3) When asked, hold up your protein so everyone can see it.

4) How many people made the same protein? Compare #1-2-3-4

Class Experiment #1 Each person should build a chain.

Make a prediction: Yes or No? Then the class tries it!

Which amino acid is #1? The amino acid with the Free black end is #1!

1 Protein chains always have two ends. No circles - please!

Copyright The LEGO Group and MIT All rights reserved

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Watch Teacher Demo! Teacher eats, rebuilds muscle from the same amino acids.

Proteins? Most people think of food.….

Where can you find proteins?

Copyright The LEGO Group and MIT All rights reserved

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Team Building Task #1. Build this practice protein together. See page 13.

Keep the black ends to the left. Show your teacher your folded chain!

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One example of a correct fold. Why is this one correct?

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We are going to build a LEGO channel protein next. See how the proteins work?

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Here is a finished LEGO channel protein.

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Listen for which chain your team should build. Is it an alpha or beta chain?

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Follow the steps.

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Think about it. Look at this photo.

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Now the photo is correct . Why?

The previous picture ( p 29) was incorrect!

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The order of the amino acid is super important!

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Reference slides for amino acids chemistry follow.

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