Scientists have gotten their first detailed look at the molecular structure of an enzyme that Nature has been using for eons to help silence unwanted genetic messages: Dicer, an enzyme that plays a critical role in a process known as RNA interference.
Read more »
Science Highlights
Snapshots of Ribozyme Reaction States Reveal Structural Switch
RNA, like protein, can sometimes function as an enzyme (ribozyme) to speed biochemical reaction rates. But how does RNA, a simple polymer, enhance reaction rates by at least a million fold? Researchers obtained the structures of a ribozyme trapped in different states of its catalytic cycle, showing how a change in the RNA conformation governs the reaction mechanism. Read more »
Designing a Novel Globular Protein Fold
A major challenge of computational structural biology has been to create, from scratch, new proteins with heretofore unobserved three-dimensional structures. Researchers have now developed and demonstrated a methodology for protein-structure prediction and design by creating the first artificial globular protein with a novel topology. Significantly, the x-ray structure agreed almost precisely with the structure specified by the computational model. Read more »
Crosslink Density of Superabsorbent Polymers
Researchers from The Dow Chemical Company teamed with academic colleagues to conduct x-ray spectromicroscopy studies of superabsorbent polymers (SAPs), materials with a wide range of applications, including disposable baby diapers. Dow has been able to use the results to help develop the process technology for a new SAP-manufacturing plant. Read more »
- « Previous Page
- 1
- …
- 23
- 24
- 25