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Creating Artificial Proteins

Posted by samzenpus on from the make-me-a-new-hand dept.

Spy der Mann writes "By examining how proteins have evolved, UT Southwestern Medical Center researchers have been able to design genes to create artificial proteins. The researchers have discovered a set of simple "rules" that nature appears to use to design proteins. By feeding these rules into a computer program, they were able to obtain a sequence of artificial genes. These genes were then inserted into laboratory bacteria, producing the artificial proteins as expected."

11 of 180 comments (clear)

  1. That's nothing by Mateito · · Score: 5, Funny

    I've been creating proteins by hand since I was 12!

    --
    Norman Cook's Ode to Sl
  2. We're learning the words... by FlyByPC · · Score: 3, Funny

    Hopefully we'll figure out what not to say while learning the grammar, style, and syntax of this new language. It's a bit worrying -- but this really has a lot of potential, I think!

    --
    Paleotechnologist and connoisseur of pretty shiny things.
  3. Re:Tinfoil hat, but... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Good lord, what if people had other unique markings that could be tracked... finger/palm prints, DNA, retinas... now THAT would be scary.

    Oh wait.

  4. Name that film... by moviepig.com · · Score: 5, Funny
    From the article: The real test will be to put [the new proteins] back into fruit flies...

    "Hel-l-l-p me-e-e-e-e..."

    --
    Seeing bad movies only encourages them. Watch responsibly
  5. I only have one question. by phxhawke · · Score: 4, Funny

    How long before gcc supports this new instruciton set? :p

    1. Re:I only have one question. by Alsee · · Score: 3, Funny

      Oh, GCC has supported this instruction set for almost 7 years now. It's just that no one has ever written any documentation for using it.

      -

      --
      - - You can't take something off the Internet! That's like trying to take pee out of a swimming pool.
  6. Intelligent Design by jswalter9 · · Score: 1, Funny

    Hey, I guess Intelligent Design was just ahead of its time.

    --
    Retired from software... maybe. Sort of.
  7. hair by gcnaddict · · Score: 2, Funny

    maybe now all us anime/manga fans can rejoice and change the hair color of our kids to sky blue, sea green, or bubblegum pink, or some other outlandish color like purple

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    Viable Slashdot alternatives: https://pipedot.org/ and http://soylentnews.org/
  8. Re:Information Theory Usages? by ScrewMaster · · Score: 4, Funny

    Yes, a protein computer operating in meat-space would hold a lot of advantages over silicon ... until your dog got hold of it. Still, it would make a great excuse for not doing your homework, "I'm sorry, Miss Smith ... my dog ate my computer."

    --
    The higher the technology, the sharper that two-edged sword.
  9. Re:Let's not get ahead of ourselves here.. by clem · · Score: 5, Funny

    It'd be as liberating as developing software!

    We were liberated? Does that mean I can go home now?

    --
    Your courageous and selfless spelling corrections have made me a better person.
  10. Re:Tinfoil hat, but... by hplasm · · Score: 1, Funny
    Note that excriment from such a radioactive being would set off detectors (and leave you with a large fine here in the US).

    "Hey Buddy! You can't leave that glowing turd there!!!"

    Oh the imagery..

    --
    ...and he grinned, like a fox eating shit out of a wire brush.