quote:
Thornton and Jamie Bridgham, a postdoctoral scientist in his lab, used state-of-the-art computational and molecular techniques to re-create the ancient progenitors of an important human protein.
Thornton then collaborated with University of North Carolina biochemists Eric Ortlund and Matthew Redinbo, who used ultra-high energy X-rays from a stadium-sized Advanced Photon Source at Argonne National Laboratory near Chicago to chart the precise position of each of the 2,000 atoms in the ancient proteins. The groups then worked together to trace how changes in the protein's atomic architecture over millions of years caused it to evolve a crucial new function -- uniquely responding to the hormone that regulates stress.
So they synthesised an evolutionary precursor gene, based on molecular data, and then expressed it. Then they used X-ray crystallography to see the structure.
Ingenious.
ABE: Just noticed this:
quote:
...X-ray crystallography, a state-of-the art technique...
.
Those among you who remember DNA was discovered to be a double-helix via x-ray crystallography may feel free to laugh.
Edited by Doddy, : abe
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