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Stability of Proteins Greatly Increased
Proteins--naturally occurring molecules--are widely viewed as a promising alternative to synthetic chemicals in everything from medications to hand lotion. However, outside of the lab, proteins quickly change structure, causing irreversible damage to their functionality and often safety. Researchers at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute have greatly increased the stability of the two proteins pictured here--AcPh and Cdc42. These findings have implications for stabilizing many other types of proteins. [The research was supported by National Science Foundation grants MCB 01-10396, MCB 04-16746, MCB 08-02141 and MCB 08-18419.]
To learn more, see the Rensselaer news story Building a Better Protein. (Date of Image: February 2009)
Credit: George Makhatadze, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
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