Translating Form into Function: Scientists Figure out How an Enzyme Works by Knowing Its Atom-by-Ato
In the last 40 years, scientists have perfected ways to determine the knot-like structure of enzymes, but they've been stumped trying to translate the structure into an understanding of function — what the enzyme actually does in the body. This puzzle has hurt drug discovery, since many of the most successful drugs work by blocking enzyme action. Now, in an expedited article in <i>Nature</i>, researchers show that a solution to the puzzle is finally in sight.