VisionMol: A Novel Virtual Reality Tool for Protein Molecular Structure Visualization and Manipulation

• DOI: 10.1093/bioinformatics/btaf118
• Publication Date: 2025-03-18T02:14:22Z
• Authors: Xin Wang; Yicheng Zhuang; Wenrui Liang; Haoyang Wen; Zhencong Cai; Yujia He; Yuxi Su; Wei Qin; Yuanzhe Cai; Lixin Liang; Bingding Huang
• Keywords: Biomedicine; Software visualization; Molecular graphics

Abstract Motivation Virtual reality technology holds significant potential for applications in biomedicine, particularly the visualization and manipulation of protein molecular structures. To facilitate study molecules enable state-of-the-art VR hardware, we developed a novel software named VisionMol, which allows users to engage immersive exploration analysis three-dimensional structures using range virtual platforms (such as Rhino X Pro, Meta’s Oculus Quest Pro/3) well personal computers. Results Built on Unity engine programmed C#, VisionMol incorporates custom scripts variety operations. Users can rotate, scale, translate models gestures, controllers, or other input devices. Furthermore, offers rich interactive features, including multi-model display, distance measurement between components, alignment docking. Summary These capabilities more intuitive understanding interactions chemical properties. The real-time effects clear visual representations allow delve deeper into relationships their properties, thereby accelerating research progress promoting scientific discovery. We believe that this VR-based molecule has application value several fields, life science education, drug design optimization, biotechnology, engineering applications. Availability code is at https://github.com/WangLabforComputationalBiology/VisionMol. v1.1 (for Quest) could also be found https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.14705790. v1.0 Pro) https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.14865216. Detailed documentation https://visionmol.surge.sh/#/en-us/README. Supplementary information are available Bioinformatics online.