Molecular visualization: a microcosm of the e-revolution

Molecular visualization software programs display a 3D arrangement of molecules in an interactive format, allowing researchers to examine known molecules as well as theoretical molecules in drug development. In the last two decades, biochemistry has shifted its emphasis from bonds and connectivity to surfaces and interactions. Molecular visualization, at the intersection of computer graphics and chemistry, accelerated this transition with interactive displays of 3D molecular models on personal computers. The free access to both molecular databases and visualization programs has enhanced our understanding of basic biological concepts. Molecular visualization also encompasses a thriving Internet community that is constantly honing and dynamically revising software implementations in response to user feedback. There's no question that computer technology has revolutionized biomedical fields such as biochemistry, genetic engineering, and molecular biology. We can now study critical biomolecules in their folded form rather than as a string of amino acids.