Following the discovery of a new and very valuable enzyme which folds linear molecules into different shapes,scientists at the John Innes Centre are building a 'triterpene machine' which will enable them to custom-build valuable chemical compounds called triterpenes and produce them in large, cost-effective quantities. Working with the pharmaceutical, and agricultural and biotechnology industries,they hope to improve existing triterpenes to fabricate (to make up, invent) better medicines with fewer side effects, or improve the specificity of pesticides. They also hope to fabricate (to make up, invent) totally new, and custom-designed triterpenes to any specification,which could lead to development of new anti-cancer drugs, agrochemicals, or industrial chemicals or cosmetics.
Source: phys.org