Question

Which of the three different representations of protein structure is most useful for studying the interior shapes formed by the folds of the protein?

Three models of a protein structure. The first (from left to right) structure is a space-filling model. Here, each atom is represented by a ball of specific color. The second structure is a ribbon model. Here, the sequence looks like a ribbon twisted or coiled to match the shape of the protein. The third structure is a backbone model. Here, the sequence is represented as a thread.

spacefill
ribbon
backbone

Answer 1

The most useful representation for studying the interior shapes formed by the folds of the protein is the **space-filling model**. This model visually represents the actual volume occupied by the atoms in the protein, allowing for a clearer understanding of the spatial arrangement and interactions of the protein's interior structure. The ribbon and backbone models are helpful for understanding the overall structure and sequence, but they do not provide the same detailed insight into the internal shapes formed by the folds as the space-filling model does.