Researchers use AI to design proteins that cut up other proteins

Key points

• That's because organisms have evolved a handful of ways to catalyze the break-up of peptide bonds, which have diversified into countless specialized protein-digesting enzymes.1
• Now, researchers have basically short-circuited the diversification process, using AI-based protein design tools to take the catalytic core of two types of protease and replace the entire rest of the protein.1
• As their name implies, amino acids have both an amino and an acid group, allowing them to form peptide bonds on two sides of the amino acid.1
• This is critical for building up the long chains found in proteins.1

Sources (1)

• [1]Researchers use AI to design proteins that cut up other proteins
  Ars Technica: AI · Oct 14, 05:10 PM

  A protein is a chain of amino acids held together by what are called peptide bonds.

  That's because organisms have evolved a handful of ways to catalyze the break-up of peptide bonds, which have diversified into countless specialized protein-digesting enzymes.

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