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Chimera Tutorial

Complete guide from installation to molecular visualization and analysis using Chimera.

Introduction

This tutorial will guide you through the installation and basic usage of Chimera. We will start with system requirements, proceed to installation, and finally learn how to use Chimera for molecular visualization and analysis.

Chimera requires a graphics card with OpenGL support. Please ensure your system meets these requirements.

Installation Steps

1. Download Chimera

Download the appropriate version for your operating system from the official Chimera website.

2. Install Chimera

  • Windows: Run the installer and follow the instructions.
  • macOS: Open the .dmg file and drag Chimera to the Applications folder.
  • Linux: Extract the tarball and run the installation script.

Basic Usage

Loading Molecular Structures

  1. Open Chimera.
  2. Go to File > Open and select a PDB file.

Setting Molecular Representations

  1. Select the structure in the Model Panel.
  2. Use the Actions menu to change representations (e.g., ribbon, stick, surface).

Saving Images

  1. Adjust the view as desired.
  2. Go to File > Save Image to export the current view as an image file.

Advanced Topics

Sequence Alignment

Chimera supports sequence alignment and structure comparison. Use Tools > Sequence to align sequences and visualize similarities.

Python Scripting

Chimera provides a Python interface for advanced automation and analysis. You can write scripts to automate tasks or perform custom analyses.