AI Breakthrough: Designing Enzymes That Could Eat Plastic! | TechEnclave

Enzymes are powerful catalysts, but many vital reactions lack natural enzymes. Recent advances in AI-driven protein design have enabled scientists to create novel enzymes capable of breaking down plastics by manipulating ester bonds. The process, involving tools like RFDiffusion and PLACER, demonstrated the complexity of enzyme design, resulting in two new enzymes that can effectively catalyze multiple reactions. While challenges remain, the potential for designing enzymes that tackle environmental issues is immense.

What are your thoughts on the potential of AI in enzyme design for solving real-world problems?

PS: What I am more worried about is when people start desgining the perfect pathogen like the ‘Engineers’ from the movie Prometheus.

Source: https://arstechnica.com/science/202…eins-is-now-easy-making-enzymes-remains-hard/