How to Use the Mouse

The mouse can be used to perform many functions in this program, from changing the look of the structure, to zooming in and out on an area of interest. Here is a small molecule, a haem group, that you can use to practise the commands.

To Rotate:
Place the mouse in the image box. Hold the mouse button (Mac) or the left button (PC) down while moving the mouse around. The molecule will rotate accordingly.
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To Zoom:
Place the mouse in the image box. Hold down both the SHIFT key, and the mouse button (Mac) or Left button (PC). Now move the mouse downwards (on the screen). You should have 'zoomed in'. Moving the mouse up will 'zoom out' again.
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To Change your View:
Place the mouse in the image box. Hold down the mouse button (Mac) or click the Right button (PC) without moving the mouse. A pop-up menu will appear. From the menu, select DISPLAY. Keep depressing the button. Then choose SPACEFILL and VAN DER WAAL'S RADII. Let go of the mouse button, and the image should change.
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You can also look at the molecule in BALL & STICK display.
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But since this is not a protein, you cannot look at the molecule in the CARTOON or RIBBONS mode.

To Spin the Molecule:
Place the mouse in the image box. Hold down the mouse button (Mac) or click the Right button (PC) without moving the mouse. A pop-up menu will appear. From the menu, select ROTATION. Keep depressing the button. The choose START. Let go of the mouse button, and the image will start to spin.
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You can stop it from spinning by doing the same thing, but selecting STOP instead of START.

Hopefully you have tried to do all the things listed above. You should also note the different atoms in the haem group while you are here. The iron atom (yellow) in the haem binds to four nitrogen atoms (violet) in the protoporphyrin ring (all of the molecule except the iron atom). But the iron can form two more bonds, one on either side of the haem plane. If you rotate the haem so that you see down the plane, you will notice that the iron atom is out of plane. (It may be easiest to do this in WIREFRAME display).

After trying all these exercises, you are able to carry on with the tutorials. You can come back to this page at any time during the tutorials by pressing the HELP button underneath the text. Now press NEXT to move on to the next tutorial or home to go to the Tutorial Home Page.