New Computer Simulation Helps Explain Folding In Important Cellular Protein, ScienceDaily Bookmark and Share

Excerpt: Most parts of living organisms come packaged with ribbons. The ribbons are proteins�chains of amino acids that must fold into three-dimensional structures to work properly. But when for any reason the ribbons fold incorrectly, bad things can happen, and in humans misfolded-protein disorders include Alzheimer�s and Parkinson�s diseases. Scientists have for the past three decades tried to understand what makes proteins fold into functional units and why it happens, and several breakthroughs have occurred through computer modeling�a field that dramatically increases analytical speed. (�)