Synthetic Molecules Emulate Enzyme Behavior: related news

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."

Synthetic Molecules Emulate Enzyme Behavior For The First Time

When chemists want to produce a lot of a substance -- such as a newly designed drug -- they often turn to catalysts, molecules that speed chemical reactions.

Behavior-driven development with easyb

Behavior-driven development offers many of the benefits of test-driven development, but without the tight coupling to specific implementations. In this article Rod Coffin discusses the difference between the two development methods and explains the concepts of BDD. He then walks through an example in behavior-driven development with easyb -- a Groovy-based framework that employs a rich DSL understandable by both developers and domain experts.

Newly identified enzyme treats deadly bacterial infections in mice

By the time antibiotics made their clinical debut 70 years ago, bacteria had long evolved strategies to shield themselves. For billions of years, bacteria hurled toxic molecules at each other in the struggle to prosper, and those that withstood the chemical onslaught marched on. Now, with an uptick in antibiotic-resistant bacteria reaching alarming proportions, Rockefeller University scientists have identified an enzyme produced in viruses (called bacteriophages) that could stop these one-celled powerhouses dead in their tracks.

New "Miracle Diagnosis" Handheld Medical Scanner 800 Times More Sensitive Than Full-size Scanners

The disease detectors are composed of a nanoparticle metal core (orange), surrounded by a protective polymer (gray), with binding molecules attached to the surface (blue). These molecules bond to specific molecules on cancer cells, bacteria, or pollutants (green) in order to detect their presence.

Deconstructing Green Fluorescent Protein

Green fluorescent protein (GFP) has been reassembled from two pieces, a large fragment 214 amino acids in length that is produced recombinantly (GFP 1−10) and a short synthetic peptide corresponding to the 11th stave of the β-barrel that is 16 amino acids long (synthetic GFP 11), following a system developed by Waldo and co-workers (Cabantous, S.; et al. Nat. Biotechnol. 2005, 23, 102−7) as an in vivo probe for protein association and folding. We demonstrate that the reassembled protein has identical absorption and excited-state proton transfer dynamics as a whole protein of the identical sequence. We show that the reassembled protein can be taken apart and the peptide replaced with a different synthetic peptide designed to perturb the chromophore absorption.

Embracing Chaos and Complexity: A Quantum Change for Public Health

Public health research and practice have been guided by a cognitive, rational paradigm where inputs produce linear, predictable changes in outputs. However, the conceptual and statistical assumptions underlying this paradigm may be flawed. In particular, this perspective does not adequately account for nonlinear and quantum influences on human behavior. We propose that health behavior change is better understood through the lens of chaos theory and complex adaptive systems. Key relevant principles include that behavior change (1) is often a quantum event; (2) can resemble a chaotic process that is sensitive to initial conditions, highly variable, and difficult to predict; and (3) occurs within a complex adaptive system with multiple components, where results are often greater than the sum of their parts.

Add one enzyme, and corn can stand the cold

Add one enzyme, and corn plants will be able to stand the cold much better, scientists have found. The finding is crucial in a situation where the price of corn - the world's number one feed grain - is going up.

Add one enzyme, and corn can stand the cold

Add one enzyme, and corn plants will be able to stand the cold much better, scientists have found. The finding is crucial in a situation where the price of corn - the world's number one feed grain - is going up.

Cracking enzyme code leads to new cancer drugs

Paris, Sept 01: Researchers have broken the code of an enzyme that plays a key role in the growth of most cancers, opening a path that potentially leads to a new class of anti-cancer drugs, reveals a study.

Weighing molecules with nanotubes

(Nanowerk News) US scientists have made a nanoscale mass sensor which can weigh molecules with atomic precision.

Hepatitis C Virus May Need Enzyme's Help To Cause Liver Disease

A key enzyme may explain how hepatitis C infection causes fatty liver -- a buildup of excess fat in the liver, which can lead to life-threatening diseases such as cirrhosis and liver cancer, report University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health and School of Medicine researchers.

PRUDENCE AND POLICY - REDUCING THE RISKS OF SYNTHETIC BIOLOGY

In theory synthetic biology is the bioterrorists’ best friend. So, ask Damon Terrill and Andy Peek, if the technology is evolving to increase the opportunities for misuse, what can and ought we do about it?

Newly Identified Enzyme Treats Deadly Bacterial Infections In Mice

By the time antibiotics made their clinical debut 70 years ago, bacteria had long evolved strategies to shield themselves. For billions of years, bacteria hurled toxic molecules at each other in the struggle to prosper, and those that withstood the chemical onslaught marched on.

Inventing the Future with Synthetic Biology

Forbes features Ginkgo BioWorks, a synthetic biology company started by MIT's Tom Knight and three of his PhD students, including Reshma Shetty. She's part of their Eight People Inventing the Future, on the list due to her "DIY genetic engineering" approach to using genetic parts to make new living systems. Shetty's claim to fame is making banana-scented bacteria, and Ginkgo's aim is to sell standardized genetic parts dried onto sheets of paper to big companies that want to make new drugs, plastics, and petroleum replacements, says the story.

Hepatitis C virus may need enzyme's help to cause liver disease

PITTSBURGH, July 9 – A key enzyme may explain how hepatitis C infection causes fatty liver – a buildup of excess fat in the liver, which can lead to life-threatening diseases such as cirrhosis and liver cancer, report University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health and School of Medicine researchers.

Scientists control quantum dot behavior

U.S. scientists say they have discovered a new method of using resonant lasers to control the behavior of quantum dots.

Czech scientists discover structure of enzyme changing bacteria DNA

PRAGUE, Aug. 11 (Xinhua) -- Czech scientists discovered the structure of an enzyme that can change bacteria DNA, the Czech news agency CTK said on Monday.

Thermo Fisher Scientific Offers Extensor Long PCR Enzyme for Amplification of Long DNA Fragments

Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. has introduced Thermo Scientific Extensor Long PCR Enzyme Mix for the amplification of long DNA fragments.

Chemists move closer toward developing safer, fully-synthetic form of heparin

Chemists are reporting a major advance toward developing a safer, fully-synthetic version of heparin, the widely used blood thinner now produced from pig intestines. The U. S. Food and Drug Administration last spring linked contaminated batches of the animal-based product, imported from China, to more than 80 deaths and hundreds of allergic reactions among patients exposed to the drug for kidney dialysis and other conditions.

Chemists move closer toward developing safer, fully-synthetic form of heparin

PHILADELPHIA, Aug. 17, 2008 — Chemists are reporting a major advance toward developing a safer, fully-synthetic version of heparin, the widely used blood thinner now produced from pig intestines. The U. S. Food and Drug Administration last spring linked contaminated batches of the animal-based product, imported from China, to more than 80 deaths and hundreds of allergic reactions among patients exposed to the drug for kidney dialysis and other conditions.

Target Detective Connects Biological Targets to Molecules

Target Detective represents a significant development for pre-clinical researchers working in the Life Sciences field because for the first time scientists can connect receptor, enzyme, protein and gene data to Tocris products, through comprehensive 'Target files'.

Achieve the Best of Two Worlds with Behavior-Driven Development

Both Extreme Programming and Scrum are more effective when practiced togetherand even more effective when combined to form Behavior-Driven Development. More...

Invitation to participate in a survey on synthetic biology

(Nanowerk News) Dr. Gregor Wolbring at the University of Calgary is the convener of a team of four undergraduate students that looks into the ethical, legal, social issues of synthetic biology. The "Calgary iGEM Ethics Team" will present their finding at the International Genetically Engineered Machine Competition iGEM.

First DNA Molecule Constructed from Mostly Synthetic Components

ScienceDaily is reporting that Japanese chemists have created the world's first DNA molecule comprised of almost entirely artificial components. The breakthrough could lead to advances in both medicine and technology, possibly utilizing the massive storage capacity of DNA. "In the new study, Masahiko Inouye and colleagues point out that scientists have tried for years to develop artificial versions of DNA in order to extend its amazing information storage capabilities. As the genetic blueprint of all life forms, DNA uses the same set of four basic building blocks, known as bases, to code for a variety of proteins used in cell functioning and development. Until now, scientists have only been able to craft DNA molecules with one or a few artificial parts, including certain bases.

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