Solve Puzzles for Science – Foldit

Foldit – Solve Puzzles for Science. How awesome a tagline is that? Sounds very Portal-esque too, which is only a good thing.

The basic premise of the game is to fold proteins into their most efficient shape. This involves making sure that the protein is compact, that the hydrophobic sidechains are buried, and that there are no clashes between the backbone or sidechains of the protein. Sounds easy, but is actually a very complicated thing to do! The whole idea behind Foldit is to use the vast puzzle-solving intellect of humans to tackle the tough task of protein folding. The science behind it is explained clearly on the Foldit site. Concerning proteins, structure is very important, as it is the structure of a protein which determines it’s function. If the structure is slightly wrong, the protein will not work correctly. An example of the game can be seen in this video.

It’s definitely a fantastic idea, and one which I wish I had stumbled upon sooner. I’ll definitely be playing it often from now on! Onwards!