Random heteropolymers preserve protein function in foreign environments

Mimicking the designs found in proteins Natural proteins combine a range of useful features, including chemical diversity, the ability to rapidly switch between preprogrammed shapes, and a hierarchy of structures. Panganiban et al. designed random copolymers with polar and nonpolar groups, using many of the features found in proteins (see the Perspective by Alexander-Katz and Van Lehn). Their structures could serve as “broad spectrum” surfactants, able to promote the solubilization of proteins in organic solvents and help preserve the functionality of proteins in aqueous environments. Science , this issue p. 1239 ; see also p. 1216