Communications of the ACM
Algorithm Uncovers Secrets of Cell Factories
Researchers at Sweden's Chalmers University of Technology have developed a computer model that can predict how fast enzymes work, making it possible to find the most efficient living factories, as well as to study difficult diseases.
Credit: Chalmers University of Technology (Sweden)
An algorithm developed by researchers at Sweden's Chalmers University of Technology can predict how fast enzymes work based on the sequence of amino acids that make up the enzymes.
The computer model calculates an enzyme's kcat value, which indicates how fast and efficiently an enzyme works, using the order of the amino acids that make up the enzyme, which can be found through open databases.
The model could help researchers identify the most promising enzyme candidates for lab testing, paving the way for the creation of new medicines and biofuels, among other things.
Additionally, the model can determine changes in kcat values in the event of mutations, identify animo acids that hinder an enzyme's efficiency, and predict whether enzymes will produce undesirable metabolites.
Chalmers' Eduard Kerkhoven said, "It is useful in industries where you often want to manufacture a single pure product."
From Chalmers University of Technology (Sweden)
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