PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — For more than a decade, biochemists could not fully decipher the structure of a key protein. So University of Washington scientists challenged an avid group of online gamers to produce an accurate model of the enzyme.
With three furious weeks of play, the non-scientists delivered the first accurate model of a retroviral protease. Knowing the structure is a key step toward finding better anti-viral drugs.
The Oregonian newspaper says (http://bit.ly/rohEov) the laboratory of UW biochemistry professor David Baker developed the game, called Foldit, about three years ago. They believed they could tap some of the brain power that puzzle-loving humans pour into computer games.
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Information from: The Oregonian, http://www.oregonlive.com
