Pu Qian, Although resources-intensive, I find it useful to have multiple, identical, overlapping copies of the same density set. It allows complex 'removal' of sections in the final image by the combination of multiple clipping planes. For example, the three planes with definitions of [1,0,0], [0,1,0], and [0,0,1] all with an origin at the center of your data will cut away 1/8 of a spherical region, if you have three copies of the density loaded. This also makes it easy to animate the cutout. The alternative is to use the volume eraser (http://www.cgl.ucsf.edu/chimera/docs/ContributedSoftware/voleraser/voleraser...), which works, but I've found it less useful for movies. When working with large data sets and this method, use cropped density sets to minimize unnecessary resource usage. Jonathan

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To whom it may concern,

I'm a new user of Chimera. It is a very good software!

Here, I would like to ask you a few questions? To show inside of protein (3d model),I need to cut it into half (sometime, maybe only part, for example, 1/4 etc.). Just like an apple, if I want to show its core, I need to cut the apple into two parts from its middle. Does Chimera has such function? (I think it has.) My 3d data comes from electron microscopy single particle analysis using IMAGIC5. Dose Chimera accept 3d data from IMAGIC5? If so, which type of 3d data I should produce for Chimera? It would be a great appreciated if you could reply me in your convenience. Hope it will not bother you too much.

Sincerely yours,

Pu Qian

Dr. Pu Qian Department of Molecular Biology The University of Sheffield Firth Court, Western Bank Sheffield, S10 2TN UK