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In recent years, chemistry educators are increasingly adopting immersive virtual reality (IVR) technology to help learners visualise molecular interactions. However, educational studies on IVR mostly investigated its usability and user...

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Human papillomavirus (HPV) type 52 is the most prevalent type for causing cervical cancer in Indonesian population. Cervical cancer becomes the most common cancer suffered by Indonesian women. Prevention of HPV infection can be achieved using HPV virus-like particle (VLP) vaccine derived from L1 major capsid protein. This study aimed to clone and analyze HPV-52 L1 gene. DNA obtained from biopsy of a cervical cancer patient was amplified using specific primers designed from Asian originated HPV-52 L1 gene available in the GenBank. The isolated HPV-52 L1 gene sequence was submitted to GenBank with accession number KF225497. Expression of HPV-52 L1 gene was performed using pRSET/EmGFP expression vector. We Escherichia coli analyzed and compared the HPV-52 L1 gene expressions from recombinant BL21 (DE3) that had been E.coli induced for 3 hours with 1 mM IPTG and without induction. The protein was expressed in insoluble form. We performed the following bioinformatic analyses: construction of phlyogenetic tree, T-cell epitopes prediction and 3D proteins structure modelling. We utilized the following softwares: MEGA5 for phylogenetic tree, IEDBann for MHC prediction, CLC DNA Workbench 6.5 for hydrophobicity analysis, and PDB-Viewer Deep for 3D protein structure analysis. The phylogenetic tree which was developed based on KF225497 sequence showed that it shared a branch with Asian countries (Philippines and Thailand). The deduced amino acid sequences of the predicted epitopes that were consistent in all of the programs were 259GTLGDPVPGDLYIQGS274 and 345KKESTYKNE353. This information may be useful to design diagnostic strategies and vaccine suitable for Indonesian population.Key words: epitope, HPV-L1 52 gene, human papillomavirus L1 protein Human papillomavirus ( HPV ) tipe 52 merupakan jenis penyebab kanker serviks yang paling umum pada penduduk Indonesia, terutama kaum perempuan. Pencegahan infeksi HPV dapat dicapai dengan menggunakan vaksin ( VLP ) HPV yang berasal dari L1 protein kapsid utama. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk virus like particle mengkloning dan menganalisa L1 gen HPV-52. DNA yang diperoleh dari biopsi pasien kanker serviks diamplifikasi menggunakan primer spesifik yang dirancang dari L1 gen HPV-52 berasal dari Asia yang tersedia di GenBank. Urutan L1 gen HPV-52 yang terisolasi didaftarkan ke GenBank dengan nomor akses [KF225497]. Ekspresi L1 gen HPV-52 dilakukan dengan menggunakan vektor ekspresi Escherichia coli pRSET/EmGFP. Kami menganalisis dan membandingkan L1 gen HPV-52 dari BL21 (DE3) rekombinan E.coli yang telah diinduksi selama 3 jam dengan 1 mM IPTG dan tanpa induksi. Protein diekspresikan dalam bentuk terlarut. Kami melakukan analisis bioinformatika: pembuatan pohon filogenetik, prediksi epitop sel T, dan modeling struktur 3D protein. Kami menggunakan software MEGA5 untuk pohon filogenetik, IEDBann untuk prediksi MHC, CLC DNA Workbench 6.5 untuk analisis hidrofobik dan PDB -Viewer Deep untuk 3D analisis struktur protein . Pohon filogenetik yang dihasilkan berdasarkan pada urutan KF225497 me...

Magnetic molecular models help students explore molecular structures and interactions. In this study, we investigated how pairs of students used magnetic models to explore hydrogen bonding and the 6-fold symmetry of snowflakes. Fourteen first-year students enrolled in a chemistry unit participated in pairs. Students' interactions with the magnetic models and their peers were video recorded and later transcribed. Students' hand-drawn diagrams, verbal explanations, and gestures were used to evaluate students' conceptual understanding. Students showed distinctly different patterns of interaction depending on their prior knowledge of hydrogen bonding and how they socially interacted. Pairs with alternative prior understanding of hydrogen bonding relied on prompts while using magnetic models to feel the attraction and repulsion between two water molecules. They then constructed a tetrahedral structure and discussed its similarities with the branches of snowflakes. Pairs with a better understanding of hydrogen bonding interacted more with each other, used magnetic models to create ring structures, and explained their similarities with the 6-fold symmetry of snowflakes. Despite gaining a new understanding of hydrogen bonding, most student pairs' explanations did not extend to the massive 3D expansion of molecular structures to form a snowflake. Educators should consider the affordances of magnetic models and students' group dynamics when teaching molecular interactions to explain macroscopic-level phenomena.

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Recent studies have reported a growing trend of using student-generated diagrams for assessment in science teaching and research. However, many educators tend to use diagrams to explore students’ perceptions of...