OpenAstexViewer 3.0

OpenAstexViewer is a Java molecular graphics program that assists in structure based drug design. It can be used as an Applet in a web page or as a desktop application. The software should run on most operating systems and in most internet browsers. OpenAstexViewer has been used most extensively in Internet Explorer v5+ running on Microsoft Windows. The software is known to run as an Applet within the Safari browser on Mac OS X.

AstexViewer™ was originally developed by Mike Hartshorn at Astex Therapeutics between 1999 and 2007.
The software was shaped by the input of many people from the structural biology and computational chemistry groups at Astex Therapeutics.
- Version 1 was made available via the Astex Therapeutics web site and published in JCAMD from 2002.
- Version 2 was made available via the website from 2004.
OpenAstexViewer was made available with support from Astex Therapeutics, GlaxoSmithKline and dotmatics Limited.

OpenAstexViewer 3.0 is a major upgrade of the software first described in the original publication (M.J.Hartshorn, JCAMD, 16, 871 (2002)). New functionality includes

Sphere, cylinder and stick display styles for molecules.
Versatile labelling and distance monitors.
Shaded molecular surfaces, with transparency and property mapping.
Protein schematics and secondary structure assignment.
High quality image production to arbitrary resolution, with antialiasing and shadows.

The following pages show examples of the use of OpenAstexViewer for displaying protein/ligand complexes.

An applet using the internal Java graphical user interface.
An applet using HTML and Javascript controls.
An example that displays multiple structures.

OpenAstexViewer may be downloaded from this website subject to acceptance of the terms and conditions of the licence agreement on the Download page. We hope you find OpenAstexViewer useful and welcome your feedback.