Gamers solve protein puzzles

[n2doc]

The Foldit puzzle game, shown in this screenshot, is aimed at untangling the mysteries of protein folding. The protein's color is based on score and other properties, while objects such as red spiky balls appear where parts of the protein are too close to each other, causing the player to lose points. Several of the tools available to players are shown in the menu at the bottom.


Alan Boyle writes:Researchers have developed a video game that rewards players for solving the scientifically substantial puzzles surrounding protein folding. The game, called Foldit, is the latest twist in the move toward the use of distributed computing and crowd-sourcing to solve huge scientific challenges.

Figuring out how complex molecules are bent and twisted could be key to developing new medicines and even nano-machines. Biochemists have found that the kinks in proteins act like stamped-out keys to unlock (or lock) the doors of cellular functions.

Misfolded proteins have been linked to a host of maladies, ranging from mad-cow disease to Alzheimer's disease and cystic fibrosis. In contrast, proteins that are folded just right could block the pathways used by the HIV virus and other cellular evildoers, or even open up new paths for making biofuels and cleaning up the environment.

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