Scientists are making it easier for pharmaceutical companies
and researchers to see the detailed inner workings of molecular machines.
“Inside each cell in our bodies and inside every bacterium
and virus are tiny but complex protein molecules that synthesize chemicals,
replicate genetic material, turn each other on and off, and transport chemicals
across cell membranes,” said Tom Terwilliger, a Los Alamos National Laboratory
scientist. “Understanding how all these machines work is the key to developing
new therapeutics, for treating genetic disorders, and for developing new ways
to make useful materials.”