electrical protein switches tagged posts

Switch-in-a-Cell Electrifies Life


Rice University scientists used E. coli bacteria as a platform to test protein switches that can be used to control the flow of electrons. Proteins placed in cells can simply be turned on and off with chemical signals.
Credit: Illustration by Josh Atkinson/Rice University

Scientists create electrical protein switches triggered by chemicals. Scientists at Rice University have developed synthetic protein switches to control the flow of electrons.

The proof-of-concept, metal-containing proteins made in the Rice lab of synthetic biologist Joff Silberg are expressed within cells upon the introduction of one chemical and are functionally activated by another chemical. If the proteins have been placed in the cell, they can simply be turned on and off...

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