SCIENCE / MEDICINE : Scientists Create Enzyme in Lab

Scientists have created the first enzyme completely built in the laboratory, a step that should pave the way for the development of an assortment of useful “designer enzymes,” according to a report last week in the journal Science.

Researchers at the University of Colorado used computers to design the enzyme, dubbed chymohelizyme-1, then constructed and tested it in the laboratory.

“The discovery opens the door for ‘designer enzymes’ that might someday be used in a host of life-saving and life-enriching products,” said John Stewart, a professor of biochemistry. More research is needed to refine the technique, but the approach could enable scientists to build a variety of enzymes for commercial and medical uses. Specialized enzymes could be made for use in beer production and to treat medical disorders, such as a genetic disorder that prevents people from digesting milk, he said.