Monday's Molecule #103

 
Name this molecule. We need a biochemically accurate name and the formal IUPAC name. The role of this molecule in biological systems was discovered by one or more Nobel Laureate(s) almost one hundred years ago.

Your task is to correctly identify the molecule and name the Nobel Laureate(s). The first one to do so wins a free lunch at the Faculty Club. Previous winners are ineligible for one month from the time they first collected the prize.

There are three ineligible candidates for this week's reward: Timothy Evans of the University of Pennsylvania, John Bothwell of the Marine Biological Association of the UK in Plymouth, UK and Dima Klenchin of the University of Wisconsin.

John, Dale (twice), and a previous winner (Ms. Sandwalk) have offered to donate their free lunch to a deserving undergraduate so the next two undergraduates to win and collect a free lunch can also invite a friend. Since undergraduates from the Toronto region are doing so poorly in this contest, I'm going to make a special award this week. In addition to the normal winner, the first undergraduate student who can accept a free lunch will win a second prize. Please indicate in your email message whether you are an undergraduate and whether you came make it for your free lunch (with a friend).

Mmmmmm .... poutine. Good luck.

THEME:

Nobel Laureates
Send your guess to Sandwalk (sandwalk (at) bioinfo.med.utoronto.ca) and I'll pick the first email message that correctly identifies the molecule and names the Nobel Laureate(s). Note that I'm not going to repeat Nobel Laureate(s) so you might want to check the list of previous Sandwalk postings by clicking on the link in the theme box.

Correct responses will be posted tomorrow. I reserve the right to select multiple winners if several people get it right.

Comments will be blocked for 24 hours. Comments are now open.

UPDATE: The molecule is acetylcholine (2-acetoxy-N,N,N-trimethylethanaminium). The Nobel Laureates are Sir Henry Hallett Dale and Otto Loewi.

The winner is Bill Chaney of the University of Nebraska who was the first one to correctly identify the molecule and the Nobel Laureates. The undergraduate winner is Maria Altshuler of the University of Toronto. She can bring a friend to lunch.

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