A team of players of an online game called “Foldit” took three weeks to solve a problem in AIDS research that has puzzled scientists for years. The problem was to solve the crystal structure of M-PMV retroviral protease. The M-PMV retrovirus enables the HIV-1 virus to replicate. The team of “Foldit” players created a model of the protease that was good enough to let researchers determine its structure. This will help in designing new anti-retroviral drugs. How is it that gamers could solve a complex problem in a very technical discipline that had stumped highly trained researchers for years?
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Gamers PWN AIDS-Related Molecular Mystery
Posted by: Richard Adhikari September 19, 2011 12:11 PMA team of players of an online game called “Foldit” took three weeks to solve a problem in AIDS research that has puzzled scientists for years. The problem was to solve the crystal structure of M-PMV retroviral protease. The M-PMV retrovirus enables the HIV-1 virus to replicate. The team of “Foldit” players created a model of the protease that was good enough to let researchers determine its structure. This will help in designing new anti-retroviral drugs. How is it that gamers could solve a complex problem in a very technical discipline that had stumped highly trained researchers for years?