Covid-19 Spike Protein Infographic
Medium: Autodesk Maya, Adobe photoshop and illustrator
Client: University of Toronto
Purpose: This mini infographic was created to visualize the molecular structure and function of a biologically relevant macromolecule. I chose to illustrate the components and the mechanism of action of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein. The infographic highlights how the spike protein binds to the ACE2 receptor on human cells, facilitating viral entry. Key structural domains are labeled and depicted in simplified form to clearly communicate the conformational changes involved in receptor recognition and membrane fusion, offering an accessible and engaging visual of this critical aspect of viral infectivity.
A rough initial layout sketch shows a close-up of the spike protein on the viral surface (left) and its mechanism of action in mediating viral entry into a host cell (right). Structural components were processed using a 3D protein imager and imported into Maya to plan the model arrangement. A key challenge was visualizing the spike protein’s cleavage sites, which are deeply embedded and obscured from view.
Process Work
Sketching
Structural data for the spike protein was obtained from the Protein Data Bank (PDB) and imported into 3D Protein Imager, where glycosylation sites were enhanced for clearer visualization.
Final Rendering
3D Render: The spike protein was further processed in VMD and Chimera to isolate the S1 and S2 subunits. The model was then imported into Maya, where I designed and rendered a molecular environment to serve as the background for the visualization. I also added a third section illustrating the spike protein’s host cell entry mechanisms to provide a more complete narrative.