What is Rasmol?
RasMol is a computer program designed for the visualization of biological macromolecule structures, such as those found in the Protein Data Bank. Developed by Roger Sayle in the early 1990s, RasMol has become an important tool for both research and education in the field of structural biology. Initially, RasMol enabled molecular biologists to depict and explore complex molecular structures on modestly powerful personal computers, a significant advancement from the graphics workstations previously required for such visualizations
Highlights
- Optimized for running on personal computers, making molecular visualization accessible to a broader audience
- Supports the display and exploration of biological macromolecule structures, including proteins, nucleic acids, and other biomolecules
- Incorporates a scripting language that allows users to select specific protein chains, change colors, and customize the visualization
- Compatible with Protein Data Bank (PDB) files, which are widely used by researchers to share and analyze molecular structures
- Serves as an educational tool, aiding in the understanding of complex biomolecular structures
- Continues to be an important research tool in the field of structural biology