degronLOCKR tagged posts

‘Limitless Potential’ of Artificial Protein ushers in new era of ‘Smart’ cell therapies

Science illustration.
LOCKR in its closed (background) and open (foreground) states. A ‘key’ (black) unlocks a ‘cage’ (grey), revealing a bioactive peptide (yellow) which can interact with other molecules in the cell. More than a hundred million would be needed to cover the period at the end of this sentence. Credit: Ian Haydon / Institute for Protein Design at UW.

Transformative biotechnology lets scientists build biological circuits that give cells unprecedented capabilities. A first-of-its-kind artificial protein – designed on a computer and synthesized in the lab – can be used to build brand-new biological circuits inside living cells. These circuits transform ordinary cells into smart cells that are endowed with remarkable abilities.

Medicine has a “Goldilocks” problem...

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