Melanocortin-2 Receptor Accessory Protein (MRAP) Forms Anti-Parallel Homodimers

This illustration was created for the class Molecular Pharmacology at the University of Illinois at Chicago. The purpose of this assignment was to create an illustration based on a molecular biology article. I chose an article concerning MRAP because of its unique formation of antiparallel homodimers. I chose to represent it using 3D models instead of illustration because 3D modeling allowed me to create convincing spatial relationships quickly and easily. 

At the time of the assignment, there were no complete crystallization or homology models for MRAP. I therefore took it upon myself to use techniques not taught in class in order to create my own homology model. The end result was so successful that I was asked to give a lecture to the class on how I accomplished it.

Autodesk 3ds Max, Adobe Photoshop

Sebag, J. A., and P. M. Hinkle. “Melanocortin-2 Receptor Accessory Protein MRAP Forms Antiparallel Homodimers.” Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, vol. 104, no. 51, 18 Dec. 2007, pp. 20244–20249. JSTOR, doi:10.1073/pnas.0708916105.

Webb, Tom R., and Adrian J. L. Clark. “Minireview: The Melanocortin 2 Receptor Accessory Proteins.” Molecular Endocrinology, vol. 24, no. 3, 2010, pp. 475–484., doi:10.1210/me.2009-0283.