Monday's Molecule #105: The winners

 
 
Monday's molecule is on Tuesday this week. Sorry for the delay, I've been busy with a mid-term test in my introductory biochemistry course.

You have to identify this molecule. The role of this molecule in a particular species was elucidated by a Nobel Laureate in the second half of the 20th century. We need the name of the Nobel Laureate who first isolated and characterized the protein.

Your task is to correctly identify the molecule and the species from which it was purified. You also need to name the Nobel Laureate. 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 five ineligible candidates for this week's reward: Dima Klenchin of the University of Wisconsin, Bill Chaney of the University of Nebraska, Maria Altshuler of the university of Toronto, Ramon, address unknown, and Jason Oakley of the University of Toronto.

Dima and Bill 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 better in this contest, I'm going to continue to award an additional free lunch to the first undergraduate student who can accept a free lunch. Please indicate in your email message whether you are an undergraduate and whether you came make it for your free lunch (with a friend).

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 green fluorescent protein from the jellyfish Aequorea victoria. The Nobel Laureate is Osamu Shimomura (2008).

The winner is John Bothwell (again) from the Marine Biological Association of the UK, in Plymouth (UK). The local winner is Wesley Butt of the University of Toronto.

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