This app allows users to listen to the vibrations in protein molecules, representing the basic building blocks of life. The method to make the nanoscopic vibrations of proteins audible is based on an algorithm to automatically compute the vibrational spectra of more than 100,000 proteins available in the Protein Data Bank [1]. We then use the resulting frequency spectra of the proteins to generate audible by using the music theoretic concept of transpositional equivalence. In this process, the vibrations are made audible in the frequency range accessible to the human ear, whereas the relative values of the vibrations is maintained. This algorithm reproduces the characteristic soundings of each protein molecules and allows players to use protein molecules as a new type of musical instrument.

Different screens in this app allow access to different sets of proteins, which can be played via touching the buttons. You can learn more about the proteins at the Protein Data Bank (PDB) https://www.rcsb.org/ (enter the four character code into the search box and you will learn more about each of the proteins).

The first three screens give access to a series of proteins, where the vibrations associated with all modes are played simultaneously. The last two screens allows users to play 64 individual modes associated with one protein, with Protein Data Bank code 5iom (this protein is nucleoside diphosphate kinase from schistosoma mansoni, a water-borne parasite of humans).

The vibrational spectra defined by the protein determines a new sort of musical scale and tuning that consists of the unique frequencies associated with the protein

Scientific reference:

[1] Z. Qin, M.J. Buehler, Analysis of the vibrational and sound spectrum of over 100,000 protein structures and application in sonification, Extreme Mechanics Letters, Vol. 29, p. 100460, 2019. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eml.2019.100460

(c) 2019 Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), contact: [email protected]

WARNING: This app produces sounds that may damage your hearing. Please use caution. The authors are not responsible or liable for any damage.

App developed by Eric L. Buehler, April 20, 2019, v1.01