Xenoproteins
Scientists from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) have developed a strategy for synthesizing millions of new proteins that can be used as drugs against Ebola and other viruses.
All proteins that are produced in living cells consist of different combinations and sequences of 20 amino acids. Researchers have found a way to create proteins from amino acids that are not used in nature.
Xenoproteins, as they are called, have a number of advantages over natural proteins. They are more stable and, unlike conventional protein preparations, do not require special storage conditions. In addition, xenoprotein-based medications will not provoke an immune response.
The task of the researchers was to create a large library of new compounds, which can then be used in future research to search for active substances and create new drugs.
As "bricks" for the synthesis of xenoproteins, 16 artificial amino acids were used, which are a mirror image, that is, the D-form, of natural amino acids having only the L-form. From them, scientists synthesized millions of proteins, each about 30 amino acids in length of the D-form. Each xenoprotein was created in the image of a natural trypsin inhibitor protein. Before that, no group was able to create so much protein from amino acids of artificial origin.
Considerable efforts were required to develop methods for combining D-amino acids into a protein molecule, but they had limitations on the length of the chain created.
The resulting xenoproteins were scanned to find those that are able to bind with immunoglobulins (IgG) to the surface protein of the influenza virus. To do this, IgG was labeled with a fluorescent molecule and mixed with xenoproteins. Then, using a special sorting system, those who contacted IgG were singled out. In other experiments, a xenoprotein was identified that is tropic to the causative agent of anthrax and the glycoproteins of the Ebola virus. Such a large-scale search takes only a few hours. It is obvious that it holds a huge potential for the development of new drugs.
Currently, researchers are developing a strategy for the synthesis of certain xenoproteins "on demand". In addition, they are busy searching for other xenoproteins that can bind to other therapeutic targets. The ultimate goal is to develop a technology that allows you to quickly synthesize and find compounds that can be used to create a drug against any infectious disease.
In addition to potential drugs, the researchers also hope to develop "xenozymes" – xenoproteins that can act as enzymes for new types of chemical reactions.
Article by Z. P. Gates et al. Xenoprotein engineering via synthetic libraries is published in the journal PNAS.
Aminat Adzhieva, portal "Eternal Youth" http://vechnayamolodost.ru according to MIT News: Chemists synthesize millions of proteins not found in nature.