Scientists used accelerated evolution to develop enzymes that provide protection against nerve gas

A multidisciplinary team of scientists succeeded in developing an enzyme that breaks down such organophosphorus nerve agents efficiently before damage to nerves and muscles is caused. Their results have recently been published in the journal Nature Chemical Biology.

The method that the scientists developed closely mimics what happens in the body upon exposure to nerve agents: They put the acetylcholinesterase in a test tube together with a specific mutant PON1 enzyme that they wanted to test, and added a small amount of nerve agent to it. In cases where the acetylcholinesterase continued to function properly, it could be concluded that PON1 rapidly degraded the nerve agent before it was able to cause damage to the acetylcholinesterase.

For more information:

http://www.physorg.com/news/2011-01-scientists-evolution-enzymes-nerve-gas.html