One bead per residue: the C-alpha atom of each amino acid, the phosphorus atom of each nucleotide. Ligands, ions and water are not drawn. Nothing is invented: no surfaces, no motion, only the measured backbone.
Made by @SidraMiconi. three.js 0.185 draws it; the data comes straight from RCSB PDB.
Real structures live in files that need molecular-graphics software and some training to open. So most people only ever see a picture of a molecule.
Paste a Protein Data Bank ID. The real structure is fetched from RCSB PDB and drawn here: one bead per residue, one colour per chain. Take it apart, look through it, cut it open, follow the tour.
The shape is the science. Every bead here was measured by the people credited on the page; the only thing added is a way to hold it.
Drag to turn, scroll or pinch to zoom, right-drag or two fingers to pan. Keys: 1 to 4 switch the views, T starts the tour, ← and → step through it, R resets, Esc clears. Tap a chain for its card. On a phone, Controls opens the rest; tap the model to close it. Share the page's address: the ID travels with it.