Breakthrough in Protein Design and Structure Prediction Wins 2024 Nobel Prize in Chemistry
Breakthrough in Protein Design and Structure Prediction Wins 2024 Nobel Prize in Chemistry
Sub : Sci
Sec: Chemistry
Why in News
The 2024 Nobel Prize in Chemistry was awarded jointly to David Baker, Demis Hassabis, and John Jumper for their ground breaking contributions in computational protein design and structure prediction. The award highlights advancements in the fields of protein research that have far-reaching implications for healthcare, pharmaceuticals, and molecular biology. The winners were announced by the Swedish Academy of Royal Sciences.
Historical Background:
In 1962, John Kendrew and Max Perutz won the Nobel Prize for discovering the first 3D models of hemoglobin and myoglobin through X-ray crystallography.
In 1972, Christian Anfinsen demonstrated that the 3D structure of a protein is dictated by its amino acid sequence.
Scientists discovered that proteins do not randomly try different shapes before settling on their final form. Instead, proteins seem to “know” their final shape and fold rapidly to acquire it. This phenomenon is known as the protein-folding problem.
By the late 2010s, scientists had mapped the structures of around 1.7 lakh proteins, a fraction of the estimated 200 million proteins found in nature. This landscape changed dramatically around 2018 with the advent of advanced computational tools.
What is AlphaFold?
AlphaFold is a revolutionary tool that predicts the 3D structure of proteins, developed by DeepMind, co-founded by Demis Hassabis in 2010 and acquired by Google in 2014.
AlphaFold 1 (2018): The original model could predict the structure of almost any protein based on known structures.
AlphaFold 2 (2020): Achieved accuracy comparable to X-ray crystallography in predicting protein structures.
AlphaFold 3 (2024): Led by John Jumper, this version expanded its capabilities to predict interactions between proteins and between proteins and other molecules.
AlphaFold is an AI-based protein structure prediction tool. It is based on a computer system called deep neural network. Inspired by the human brain, neural networks use a large amount of input data and provides the desired output exactly like how a human brain would.
The real work is done by the black box between the input and the output layers, called the hidden networks.
AlphaFold is fed with protein sequences as input. When protein sequences enter through one end, the predicted three-dimensional structures come out through the other. It is like a magician pulling a rabbit out of a hat.
How does AlphaFold work?
AlphaFold is an AI-based protein structure prediction tool. It used processes based on “training, learning, retraining and relearning” to predict the structures of the entire 214 million unique protein sequences deposited in the Universal Protein Resource (UniProt) database.
About Proteins: Proteins are large, complex molecules made of amino acids that perform vital biological functions.
Proteins are composed of one or more long chains of amino acids linked by peptide bonds.
Proteins have four levels of structure—primary, secondary, tertiary, and quaternary—dictating their shape and function.
Proteins are involved in structural support, catalyzing reactions (enzymes), transport, immune defense, and cellular signaling.
Common types include enzymes, antibodies, structural proteins (e.g., collagen), and transport proteins (e.g., hemoglobin).
Proper folding into a specific 3D shape is crucial for their functionality; misfolding can cause diseases.
Proteins are synthesized in cells by ribosomes through a process called translation, using mRNA as a template.
Proteins are broken down into amino acids via proteolysis, allowing the body to recycle amino acids.
Proteins are involved in every cellular process, from DNA replication to cell structure maintenance.
About Amino Acids:
Amino acids are the basic units that make up proteins. There are 20 standard amino acids used to build proteins in humans and most organisms.
Each amino acid consists of an amino group (-NH2), a carboxyl group (-COOH), and a unique side chain (R-group).
Out of the 20, 9 are essential and must be obtained through diet. The remaining 11 amino acids can be synthesized by the body.
Amino acids are linked together by peptide bonds to form proteins. Amino acids play roles in metabolism, enzyme function, and cell signalling.
Amino acids are encoded by the DNA sequence via codons in the genetic code. Amino acids are crucial for growth, repair, and maintaining body functions.