Interactive visualization of large molecular systems with VTX: example with a minimal whole-cell model

VTX is an open-source molecular visualization software designed to overcome the scaling limitations of existing real-time molecular visualization software when handling massive molecular datasets. VTX employs a meshless molecular graphics engine utilizing impostor-based techniques and adaptive level...

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Main Authors: Maxime Maria, Valentin Guillaume, Simon Guionnière, Nicolas Dacquay, Cyprien Plateau–Holleville, Vincent Larroque, Jean Lardé, Yassine Naimi, Jean-Philip Piquemal, Guillaume Levieux, Nathalie Lagarde, Stéphane Mérillou, Matthieu Montes
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2025-06-01
Series:Frontiers in Bioinformatics
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Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fbinf.2025.1588661/full
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author Maxime Maria
Valentin Guillaume
Simon Guionnière
Nicolas Dacquay
Cyprien Plateau–Holleville
Vincent Larroque
Vincent Larroque
Jean Lardé
Jean Lardé
Yassine Naimi
Jean-Philip Piquemal
Jean-Philip Piquemal
Jean-Philip Piquemal
Guillaume Levieux
Nathalie Lagarde
Stéphane Mérillou
Matthieu Montes
Matthieu Montes
author_facet Maxime Maria
Valentin Guillaume
Simon Guionnière
Nicolas Dacquay
Cyprien Plateau–Holleville
Vincent Larroque
Vincent Larroque
Jean Lardé
Jean Lardé
Yassine Naimi
Jean-Philip Piquemal
Jean-Philip Piquemal
Jean-Philip Piquemal
Guillaume Levieux
Nathalie Lagarde
Stéphane Mérillou
Matthieu Montes
Matthieu Montes
author_sort Maxime Maria
collection DOAJ
description VTX is an open-source molecular visualization software designed to overcome the scaling limitations of existing real-time molecular visualization software when handling massive molecular datasets. VTX employs a meshless molecular graphics engine utilizing impostor-based techniques and adaptive level-of-detail (LOD) rendering. This approach significantly reduces memory usage and enables real-time visualization and manipulation of large molecular systems. Performance benchmarks against VMD, PyMOL, and ChimeraX using a 114-million-bead Martini minimal whole-cell model demonstrate VTX’s efficiency, maintaining consistent frame rates even under interactive manipulation on standard computer hardware. VTX incorporates features such as Screen-Space Ambient Occlusion (SSAO) for enhanced depth perception and free-fly navigation for intuitive exploration of large molecular systems. VTX is open-source and free for non commercial use. Binaries for Windows and Ubuntu Linux are available at http://vtx.drugdesign.fr. VTX source code is available at https://github.com/VTX-Molecular-Visualization.
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institution OA Journals
issn 2673-7647
language English
publishDate 2025-06-01
publisher Frontiers Media S.A.
record_format Article
series Frontiers in Bioinformatics
spelling doaj-art-385b46062d324c4f9e5f7d82c9f039c22025-08-20T02:32:33ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Bioinformatics2673-76472025-06-01510.3389/fbinf.2025.15886611588661Interactive visualization of large molecular systems with VTX: example with a minimal whole-cell modelMaxime Maria0Valentin Guillaume1Simon Guionnière2Nicolas Dacquay3Cyprien Plateau–Holleville4Vincent Larroque5Vincent Larroque6Jean Lardé7Jean Lardé8Yassine Naimi9Jean-Philip Piquemal10Jean-Philip Piquemal11Jean-Philip Piquemal12Guillaume Levieux13Nathalie Lagarde14Stéphane Mérillou15Matthieu Montes16Matthieu Montes17XLIM, UMR CNRS 7252, Université de Limoges, Limoges, FranceLaboratoire GBCM, EA 7528, Conservatoire National des Artset Métiers, Paris, FranceLaboratoire GBCM, EA 7528, Conservatoire National des Artset Métiers, Paris, FranceLaboratoire GBCM, EA 7528, Conservatoire National des Artset Métiers, Paris, FranceXLIM, UMR CNRS 7252, Université de Limoges, Limoges, FranceXLIM, UMR CNRS 7252, Université de Limoges, Limoges, FranceQubit Pharmaceuticals SAS, Paris, FranceLaboratoire GBCM, EA 7528, Conservatoire National des Artset Métiers, Paris, FranceQubit Pharmaceuticals SAS, Paris, FranceQubit Pharmaceuticals SAS, Paris, FranceLCT, UMR 7616 CNRS, Sorbonne Université, Paris, FranceDepartment of Biomedical Engineering, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, United StatesInstitut Universitaire de France, Paris, FranceLaboratoire CEDRIC, EA 4626, Conservatoire National des Arts et Métiers, Paris, FranceLaboratoire GBCM, EA 7528, Conservatoire National des Artset Métiers, Paris, FranceXLIM, UMR CNRS 7252, Université de Limoges, Limoges, FranceLaboratoire GBCM, EA 7528, Conservatoire National des Artset Métiers, Paris, FranceInstitut Universitaire de France, Paris, FranceVTX is an open-source molecular visualization software designed to overcome the scaling limitations of existing real-time molecular visualization software when handling massive molecular datasets. VTX employs a meshless molecular graphics engine utilizing impostor-based techniques and adaptive level-of-detail (LOD) rendering. This approach significantly reduces memory usage and enables real-time visualization and manipulation of large molecular systems. Performance benchmarks against VMD, PyMOL, and ChimeraX using a 114-million-bead Martini minimal whole-cell model demonstrate VTX’s efficiency, maintaining consistent frame rates even under interactive manipulation on standard computer hardware. VTX incorporates features such as Screen-Space Ambient Occlusion (SSAO) for enhanced depth perception and free-fly navigation for intuitive exploration of large molecular systems. VTX is open-source and free for non commercial use. Binaries for Windows and Ubuntu Linux are available at http://vtx.drugdesign.fr. VTX source code is available at https://github.com/VTX-Molecular-Visualization.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fbinf.2025.1588661/fullmolecular visualizationmolecular graphicsusabilitymolecular modelingmolecular dynamicshigh-performance computing
spellingShingle Maxime Maria
Valentin Guillaume
Simon Guionnière
Nicolas Dacquay
Cyprien Plateau–Holleville
Vincent Larroque
Vincent Larroque
Jean Lardé
Jean Lardé
Yassine Naimi
Jean-Philip Piquemal
Jean-Philip Piquemal
Jean-Philip Piquemal
Guillaume Levieux
Nathalie Lagarde
Stéphane Mérillou
Matthieu Montes
Matthieu Montes
Interactive visualization of large molecular systems with VTX: example with a minimal whole-cell model
Frontiers in Bioinformatics
molecular visualization
molecular graphics
usability
molecular modeling
molecular dynamics
high-performance computing
title Interactive visualization of large molecular systems with VTX: example with a minimal whole-cell model
title_full Interactive visualization of large molecular systems with VTX: example with a minimal whole-cell model
title_fullStr Interactive visualization of large molecular systems with VTX: example with a minimal whole-cell model
title_full_unstemmed Interactive visualization of large molecular systems with VTX: example with a minimal whole-cell model
title_short Interactive visualization of large molecular systems with VTX: example with a minimal whole-cell model
title_sort interactive visualization of large molecular systems with vtx example with a minimal whole cell model
topic molecular visualization
molecular graphics
usability
molecular modeling
molecular dynamics
high-performance computing
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fbinf.2025.1588661/full
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