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Synthetic Molecules Emulate Enzyme Behavior
FiReaNGeL writes "Ohio State University chemists have created a synthetic catalyst that can fold its molecular structure into a specific shape for a specific job, similar to natural catalysts. In tests, the chemists caused the catalysts to twist one way or the other, either to form one chemical product or its mirror image. They confirmed the shape of the molecules at each step using techniques such as nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Being able to quickly produce a catalyst of a particular shape would be a boon for the pharmaceutical and chemical industries."
It would be the holy grail. Things like converting glucose to ATP in the body achieve ~70% efficiency. This is absolutely insane. If the scientists could accurately model and design the tertiary structure of proteins at will then they could do things like making ethanol factories using minimal energy. This is extremely significant.
What's more satisfying: "we don't understand the disease well enough to cure it" or "those guys with more money than me are assholes"?
What's interesting is that research into a lot of auto immune issues is actually starting to get somewhere, so we might actually start seeing cures for stuff in the next decade or two.
Nerd rage is the funniest rage.