Case Study: Visualizing the CAS-9 Complex
A behind-the-scenes look at how we simplified the complex crystallography data of CRISPR-Cas9 into an icon used by over 500 researchers.
The Protein Data Bank (PDB) file for Cas9 is a messy cloud of atoms. To create a useful icon, we had to strip away 90% of the information without losing the biological identity.
The Raw Data
We started by importing PDB ID 4OO8 into Molecular Maya. The surface mesh was too noisy, creating distracting jagged edges when scaled down.
The Simplification Process
We used a blobby molecular surface algorithm, then manually smoothed the domains to highlight the HNH and RuvC domains distinctly.
Final Result
The finished icon keeps the Cas9 silhouette recognizable at small sizes while dropping atomic noise that would disappear in a journal column.
Frequently asked questions
- How do you turn a PDB structure into a usable icon?
- Simplify surfaces, emphasize functional domains, and drop atomic noise so the silhouette remains recognizable at small sizes.
- Which Cas9 structure was used in this case study?
- We started from PDB ID 4OO8 and iteratively smoothed domains such as HNH and RuvC for icon clarity.
- Are Sciicons CRISPR icons free to use in papers?
- Yes. Download or copy the SVG from the Sciicons library for figures, slides, and posters under the stated license terms.
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