Drop Solitaire, Fold Proteins!

Proteins are organic compounds consisting of a long chain of amino acids joined together by peptide bonds between a carboxyl group and an amino group. The amino acids are the building blocks of proteins defined by the sequence of a gene which is encoded in the genetic code. There are 20 different kinds of amino acids, which differ from one another based on what atoms are in their sidechains. Most proteins fold into a unique 3-D structure. Every kind of protein folds up into a very specific shape, but folds into that shape every time, thus specifying the structure and function of the protein. The body's proteins carry out numerous functions and play a crucial role in the growth, repair and workings of cells. How these chains of amino acids are preprogrammed to fold into their correct protein structure is the “Holy Grail” of Biology.

To understand the mysteries of protein folding, a computer game developed at the University of Washington allows users to fold model proteins to further understand how proteins work and how to target them with drugs. Fold.it, the game, attempts to predict the structure of a protein by taking advantage of human’s puzzle solving intuitions and having people play competitively to fold the best proteins. Figuring out which of the many possible structures is the best one is regarded as one of the central problems in biology today, and current methods take a lot of money and time, even for computers!

Fold.it turns the process of determining the ideal shape of a protein into a grand puzzle game. The more chemically stable the folded proteins become, the more points the players are awarded. The game starts with trial proteins, or tutorials, in which the solution is already known, in order for the player to get used to the structure of the game. Most people playing are non-scientists, and most find the correct structure faster than a computer. Although ordinary people play, the person who finds the best folding structure can eventually become a candidate for a Nobel Prize. By this summer, the game will offer options to design your own protein in order to figure out how to block the actions of viruses. Distributed computing has since been applied to many other areas, including protein folding, cracking encryption codes and climate prediction.


Posted by Sarah Bello (4)