Revolutionary platform changes protein evolution landscape for future treatments
Australian scientists have introduced a protein engineering platform that promises a more efficient approach for designing medical treatments customized for the human body, as reported by the Centenary Institute based in Sydney on Thursday....
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Australian scientists have introduced a protein engineering platform that promises a more efficient approach for designing medical treatments customized for the human body, as reported by the Centenary Institute based in Sydney on Thursday.
According to a news release from the Centenary Institute, researchers from the institute, in collaboration with the University of Sydney, are optimistic that this new platform could propel advancements in gene therapy, disease research, and next-generation medical treatments.
The study presents PROTEUS, an innovative platform that enables the directed evolution of proteins within mammalian cells, representing a significant advancement over traditional methods that utilize bacteria or yeast.
"Directed evolution is a powerful method for developing proteins with specific properties, but it's usually done in bacteria or yeast, which don't replicate the complexity of human cells," stated Daniel Hesselson, the joint senior author of the study and the head of the Center for Biomedical AI at the Centenary Institute.
PROTEUS shifts this process into mammalian cells, thereby creating a more relevant environment for therapeutic development. Hesselson added that the platform employs virus-like particles to induce mutations and select proteins with enhanced functions, all while ensuring the safety of the host cells.
In initial demonstrations, researchers successfully improved a gene-regulating protein and evolved a nano-body capable of detecting DNA damage, which is a critical element in cancer research, according to the study published in Nature Communications.
"By bringing directed evolution into mammalian cells, PROTEUS is opening the door to developing new therapies that are more effective and designed to function where they're needed, in the human body," remarked Alex Cole, the study's joint first author from the Centenary Institute's Center for Biomedical AI.
Frederick R Cook for TROIB News
According to a news release from the Centenary Institute, researchers from the institute, in collaboration with the University of Sydney, are optimistic that this new platform could propel advancements in gene therapy, disease research, and next-generation medical treatments.
The study presents PROTEUS, an innovative platform that enables the directed evolution of proteins within mammalian cells, representing a significant advancement over traditional methods that utilize bacteria or yeast.
"Directed evolution is a powerful method for developing proteins with specific properties, but it's usually done in bacteria or yeast, which don't replicate the complexity of human cells," stated Daniel Hesselson, the joint senior author of the study and the head of the Center for Biomedical AI at the Centenary Institute.
PROTEUS shifts this process into mammalian cells, thereby creating a more relevant environment for therapeutic development. Hesselson added that the platform employs virus-like particles to induce mutations and select proteins with enhanced functions, all while ensuring the safety of the host cells.
In initial demonstrations, researchers successfully improved a gene-regulating protein and evolved a nano-body capable of detecting DNA damage, which is a critical element in cancer research, according to the study published in Nature Communications.
"By bringing directed evolution into mammalian cells, PROTEUS is opening the door to developing new therapies that are more effective and designed to function where they're needed, in the human body," remarked Alex Cole, the study's joint first author from the Centenary Institute's Center for Biomedical AI.
Frederick R Cook for TROIB News
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