Enzymes: Nature's Nanomachines Available to Purchase

The development of enzyme kinetics, protein crystallography and NMR studies allows enzymecatalysed reactions to be described in terms of mechanistic chemistry, albeit applied to relatively enormous molecules. These nanomachines, which so inspired Drexler's Engines of Creation, have been working in biological systems for over three billion years and represent a useful knowledge base for our further understanding of mechanistic biology. They also provide a tantalizing glimpse into what may be the basis for novel technologies with industrial applications for the twenty-first century.