Selenocysteine (C3H7NO2Se) - Multi-Color 3D Molecule Model

Selenocysteine (C3H7NO2Se) - Multi-Color 3D Molecular Model (Space-Filling Spheres)

An accurate, educational 3D printable model of Selenocysteine (C3H7NO2Se) in classic Space-Filling (van der Waals / CPK Spheres) style. Ideal for chemistry classrooms, students, researchers, science educators, or as a vibrant desk display.

Printed in a single piece using multi-material systems (Prusa MMU3, Bambu AMS, Toolchangers) — no gluing or assembly required!

Generated with the web tool 3D Print Molecules.

🧪 About the Molecule

Selenocysteine is the famed 21st proteinogenic amino acid, replacing the sulfur atom of cysteine with a catalytic selenium atom.

• Chemical Formula: C3H7NO2Se

• IUPAC / Common Name: Selenocysteine

• Structure Coordinates: pubchem

💡 Did You Know?

While textbooks teach that life is built from only 20 standard amino acids, nature bent its own genetic rules to add a 21st! Selenocysteine is encoded by the UGA codon—which normally signals STOP—reprogrammed by a special hairpin loop in mRNA (the SECIS element) into an extraordinary catalytic power-tool!

🌟 Real-World Uses & Fascinating Facts

• ⚡ Supersonic Antioxidant Power (GPx): Heart of Glutathione Peroxidase (GPx), which detoxifies lethal lipid hydroperoxides up to 1,000x faster than sulfur enzymes!

• 🦋 Thyroid Hormone Activation (DIO): Essential catalytic center of iodothyronine deiodinases that convert inactive thyroid hormone T4 into active T3, regulating your entire metabolic rate.

• 🧬 Selenoproteins & Longevity: Only ~25 known selenoproteins exist in human biology, but without them, oxidative stress rapidly destroys mitochondrial membranes.

🧠 Biological Role & Science Notes

Chemically, the selenol group (-SeH) has a much lower pKa (5.2) than cysteine's thiol (8.3), meaning selenocysteine is almost fully ionized into a selenolate anion at physiological pH 7.4. This extraordinary nucleophilicity and lower redox potential make it an unbeatable redox catalyst in extreme oxidative environments.

🔬 Scientific Precision

• van der Waals Radii: Proportions strictly match standard physical van der Waals radii (Bondi, 1964).

• Conformational Reality: Geometry reflects the lowest-energy real-world conformation derived from computational force fields (MMFF94) and crystallographic/quantum benchmarks.

• CPK Color Standard: Colors follow the classic international Corey-Pauling-Koltun (CPK) palette.

🚀 Why Use the 3D Print Molecules Web App? (3dmolekuly.vscht.cz)

This model was generated using our web visualizer designed to make multi-color 3D printing of molecules seamless:

• 🎯 Automatic Multi-Part Mesh for Multi-Color Printing: No manual cutting or CAD modeling required. The generator automatically isolates each chemical element into separate manifold bodies so PrusaSlicer, Bambu Studio, and OrcaSlicer immediately assign colors!

• 🔬 Authentic Space-Filling Volumes: Generates clean, manifold overlapping sphere volumes reflecting real molecular geometry.

• ⚙ Full Customization: Adjust atom diameters, mesh resolution, scale (mm/Å), and toggle hydrogen atoms on or off.

• 🎓 Free & Web-Based: Developed at the University of Chemistry and Technology, Prague (VŠCHT Praha). Free to use, runs right in your browser with zero installation.

(📸 Check the web app screenshot in the photos to view the model loaded in the visualizer with the settings panel!)

🖨 Multi-Material Printing Instructions

• Style: Space-Filling Spheres (CPK)

• Assembly: None! Printed in one solid piece with multi-material systems.

• Element Color Assignments:

• Carbon (C): Black / Dark Grey

• Hydrogen (H): White

• Oxygen (O): Red

• Nitrogen (N): Blue

• Selenium (Se): Orange / Amber

• Recommended Layer Height: 0.16 mm (optimal for smooth sphere curves) – 0.20 mm

• Perimeters / Walls: 3

• Infill: 5% Gyroid

• Supports: Tree / Organic supports recommended (use PETG support interface on PLA for 0mm contact distance)

💡 Support Interface Trick for Flawless Spheres

When printing PLA with multi-material units (MMU3, AMS, Toolchanger): Set your Support Interface Material to PETG with Top Z distance = 0 mm. Because PLA and PETG do not bond to each other, the organic/tree supports detach effortlessly by hand with zero surface scarring, leaving the spherical atoms perfectly smooth!

🔗 Customize Your Model or Create Any Molecule!

Need different tolerances for your printer, larger/smaller atoms, or want to export another molecule entirely?

👉 Open and customize directly in the 3D Print Molecules App

Created with ❤ at the University of Chemistry and Technology, Prague (VŠCHT Praha) • 3dmolekuly.vscht.cz