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April 22 is Earth Day
04/18 
Proteins play key roles in the environment: some were involved in global changes millions of years ago, and others are affecting the environment today. Understanding these molecules can help manage our impact on the environment.
This Earth Day, visit PDB-101 to learn more about Molecules for a Sustainable Future.
Cellulose Synthase, 2021. In this cross-section, a plant cell is shown at the bottom, with the plasma membrane in green and the cell cytoplasm in blue, with a microtubule running horizontally just under the membrane. Two cellulose synthase complexes are building cellulose fibers (tan) outside the cell. The top portion of the illustration is filled with molecules of the cell wall, including xyloglucans and pectins in darker brown filling in the spaces between the cellulose fibers.Illustration by David S. Goodsell, RCSB Protein Data Bank. doi: 10.2210/rcsb_pdb/goodsell-gallery-029
Related: Rutgers Scientists Witness Plant Cells Generate Cellulose and Form Cell Walls for First Time. Read how RCSB PDB collaborator Sang-Hyuk Lee was part of a team of biophysicists, bioengineers and plant biologists that captured these first live images.
