ScienceDaily: Biotechnology News

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• Gamers succeed where scientists fail: Molecular structure of retrovirus enzyme solved, doors open to new AIDS drug design
• Unzipping DNA mysteries: Physicists discover how a vital enzyme works
• Sequencing 'dark matter' of life: Elusive genomes of thousands of bacteria species can now be decoded
• Crystal structure shows how motor protein works

Gamers succeed where scientists fail: Molecular structure of retrovirus enzyme solved, doors open to new AIDS drug design Posted: 18 Sep 2011 11:49 AM PDT Online gamers have solved the structure of a retrovirus enzyme whose configuration had stumped scientists for over a decade. This is the first instance that researchers are aware of in which gamers solved a longstanding scientific problem. The discovery was achieved through Foldit, which allows players to collaborate and compete in predicting protein molecule structures. Foldit is an example of engaging the public in scientific discovery by using games to solve hard problems that can't be solved by either people or computers alone.

Unzipping DNA mysteries: Physicists discover how a vital enzyme works Posted: 18 Sep 2011 11:49 AM PDT With an eye toward understanding DNA replication, researchers have learned how a helicase enzyme works to actually unzip the two strands of DNA.

Sequencing 'dark matter' of life: Elusive genomes of thousands of bacteria species can now be decoded Posted: 18 Sep 2011 11:49 AM PDT Researchers have developed a new method to sequence and analyze the 'dark matter' of life -- the genomes of thousands of bacteria species previously beyond scientists' reach, from microorganisms that produce antibiotics and biofuels to microbes living in the human body.

Crystal structure shows how motor protein works Posted: 18 Sep 2011 11:49 AM PDT The crystal structure of the dynamin protein -- one of the molecular machines that makes cells work -- has been revealed, bringing insights into a class of molecules with a wide influence on health and disease.

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