Online Gamers Crack AIDS Enzyme Puzzle

[Purveyor]

By Agence France-Presse
Sunday, September 18th, 2011 -- 2:41 pm

PARIS — Online gamers have achieved a feat beyond the realm of Second Life or Dungeons and Dragons: they have deciphered the structure of an enzyme of an AIDS-like virus that had thwarted scientists for a decade.

The exploit is published on Sunday in the journal Nature Structural & Molecular Biology, where -- exceptionally in scientific publishing -- both gamers and researchers are honoured as co-authors.

Their target was a monomeric protease enzyme, a cutting agent in the complex molecular tailoring of retroviruses, a family that includes HIV.

Figuring out the structure of proteins is vital for understanding the causes of many diseases and developing drugs to block them.

MORE...

http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2011/09/18/online-gamers-crack-aids-enzyme-puzzle/

[kestrel91316]

1. K&R

[Uncle Joe]

2. Kicked and recommended.

Thanks for the thread, Purveyor.

[xchrom]

3. Recommend

[Poll_Blind]

4. Badass!

:thumbsup: :thumbsup:

PB

[murphyj87]

5. There is also Folding @ Home which has similar potential

Folding @ Home