Microscopes focus on single electrons
Oct 6, 2004
For chemists, the starting point in understanding
the function of a molecule is its
structure. Molecular biologists are obsessed
with structure as well. Their interest usually
lies in determining the structure and function
of proteins -- the beautiful, machine-like
molecules of life. However, nature's molecules
tend to be so large that determining
their detailed molecular structure can often
take years. For example, after putting decades
of effort into understanding membrane
proteins -- the gate-keepers of cells -- we
know the full 3D structure of only a handful
of the thousands that exist, despite the fact
that this is a prerequisite for defeating a huge
number of diseases.
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