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Browse Molecular Evolution at PDB-101

12/11 PDB101 News

PDB-101 is an online portal for teachers, students, and the general public to promote exploration in the world of proteins and nucleic acids. PDB-101 features support learning about the diverse shapes and functions of these biological macromolecules and their relationship to biomedicine and agriculture, from protein synthesis to health and disease to biological energy.

Frances Arnold, a winner of the 2018 Nobel Prize in Chemistry, pioneered the use of evolution to create enzymes with entirely new functions. This has inspired a new Molecule of the Month article on the Directed Evolution of Enzymes and a new Browse section that collects all PDB-101 materials related to Molecular Evolution.

The diverse plants, animals, and other living things that currently populate the Earth are thought to have evolved from a common primordial ancestor. Atomic structures have revealed the molecular mechanisms of evolution, showing how molecules change by random mutation and recombination, and are selected for optimal function. Learn more about these structures at PDB-101.

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