Computer simulation of protein synthesis reveals awesome complexity of cell machinery

A research team ran computer simulations of protein production. The model system, based on E. coli, contained the bare minimum for assembling proteins: 241 chemicals undergoing 968 reactions for 1,000 seconds. Many of these chemicals twice reached steady concentrations, only to be suddenly depleted at a later stage. The researchers believe the build-up and collapse of steady concentrations is characteristic of large-scale reactions, and vital for controlling the body’s chemistry.

(via WSJ)