The co-recipient of the 2009 Nobel Prize in Chemistry discusses his critical research on the ribosome, a molecular machine that actually forces DNA into action, turning genetic code into functioning proteins that create life. "Everyone has heard of DNA--the molecule that seems to hold the secrets to all life. But by itself, DNA is little more than a blueprint for life, resting inertly within our cells. Hardly anyone, however, has heard of a ribosome. Ribosomes are enormous molecular machines, even more ancient than DNA, that translate the information in our genes into proteins. Those proteins in turn make up much of our bodies and catalyze thousands of processes within our cells. A ribosome, in short, is a machine no cell can do without. And until quite recently, how that machine worked was a mystery. [This book] is an insider account of the Nobel Prize-winning race to uncover the structure of this elusive molecule, told in two interlocking stories. One is a quest of fundamental biology to decipher the structure of the ribosome and show how it functions. This is no idle quest: the ribosome is the target of many major antibiotics, and its structure promises new treatments against deadly infections. The other story is the personal one, a portrait of scientists as human beings, driven as much by rivalry as by the desire to uncover nature's secrets. Ultimately, Gene Machine shows not just what it takes to win a Nobel Prize, but also reveals that who you know and how you handle them are just as important to scientific success as are brains, luck, and hard work. As riveting as it is refreshingly honest, Gene Machine is a story of ambition, achievement, and human frailty in pursuit of high-stakes science."--Dust jacket.

An unexpected change of plans in America -- Stumbling into the ribosome -- Seeing the invisible -- The first crystals of the machine -- Going to the mecca of crystallography -- Emerging from the primordial mist -- A threshold is crossed -- The race begins -- Getting started in Utah -- A return to mecca -- Coming out of the closet -- Almost missing the boat -- The final assault -- Seeing the new continent -- The politics of recognition -- The ribosome road show -- The movie emerges -- The phone call in October -- A week in Stockholm -- Science marches on.