Scientists develop new technology to repair broken proteins

A new technology is developed to help scientists understand the work process of proteins and fix the broken proteins. Researchers used to make use of many kinds of recombinant proteins such as recombinant mouse proteins and recombinant dog proteins to conduct related research. The user-friendly technology is believed to lend a hand to finding new drugs for many diseases, including cancer.

As we know that the human body has a coordinating way of turning its proteins on and off to alter their function and activity in cells. It is phosphorylation, which is the reversible attachment of phosphate groups to proteins. They provide an enormous variety of function and are essential to all forms of life. However, we know little about the detail of this dynamic process.

Researchers have built a cell-free protein synthesis platform technology that can manufacture large quantities of these human phosphoproteins for scientific study using a special strain of E. coli bacteria. The technology can enable scientists to learn more about the function and structure of phosphoproteins and identify the one which are involved in disease. The study was published Sept. 9 by the journal Nature Communications.

Trouble in the phosphorylation process is a trait of disease like cancer, inflammation and Alzheimer's disease. The human proteome is estimated to be phosphorylated at more than 100,000 unique sites. It makes study of phosphorylated proteins and their role in disease is a tough task.

The new technology just developed begins to make the job a tractable problem. It can make these special proteins at unprecedented yields, with a freedom of design that is not possible in living organisms. The consequence of this innovative strategy is enormous in the long run.

Michael C. Jewett is a biochemical engineer who led the Northwestern team. He uses cell-free systems to create new therapies, chemicals and novel materials to impact public health and the environment. Jewett and his colleagues combined state-of-the-art genome engineering tools and engineered biological "parts" into a "plug-and-play" protein expression platform that is cell-free. Cell-free systems activate complex biological systems without using living intact cells. Crude cell lysates, or extracts, are employed instead.

To be specific, the researchers prepared cell lysates of genomically recoded bacteria that incorporate amino acids not found in nature. This allowed them to harness the cell's engineered machinery and turn it into a factory, capable of on-demand biomanufacturing new classes of proteins.

The manufacturing technology will help scientists to unlock the phosphorylation 'code' that exists in the human proteome. The study was published on Sept. 9 by the journal Nature Communications. Flarebio provides you with superior recombinant proteins like recombinant Adam19 at good prices.

High antibody levels can reduce the risk of heart disease

Can strong immune system resist a heart attack? The research team of patients with high blood pressure found that for those patients with higher antibody levels, regardless of other risk factors, they have lower risk of heart attack. They recommended that a blood test which measures antibody levels would help to assess a person's risk of heart attack. The study found an antibody which is called IgG in blood in hypertensive patients can reduce the risk of heart attack. Some recombinant human proteins also can reduce certain heart disease.

The study from Imperial College London in the UK has been published in the journal EbioMedicine. It describes how the team found the link between blood immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibody levels and the reduced risk of heart attack. Cardiology consultant physician and clinical researcher director Dr. Ramsay Khamis said, "It is a very exciting discovery that connecting a more stronger and powerful immune system to prevent a heart attack. At the same time, when giving a heart attack patient proper treatment, we have a new way to follow."

In their study, Dr. Khamis and his colleagues conducted a survey on patients with heart disease. The researchers analyzed the total IgG in the blood and another antibody which is called immunoglobulin M (IgM). They also examined oxidized low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol or "bad" cholesterol in the blood LDL, which will promote antibody levels of atherosclerosis. The results showed that people with higher antibody levels were at lower risk of heart attack. The team was surprised to find that the strongest link of reducing the risk of heart attack was higher level of antibodies, and this is independent of other risk factors such as cholesterol and blood pressure.

This study focuses on the patients with hypertension. Previous studies also use recombinant dog proteins and recombinant horse proteins to conduct similar research. The research team now wants to find out whether there are links in other high-risk populations. The researchers pointed out that measuring blood IgG is relatively simple and inexpensive and yet to be further study. Their findings may show easier way for doctors to determine the patient's risk of heart attack. "We hope to protect humans from a heart trouble through improving the immune system." Some other recombinant proteins like recombinant Adam19 are offered by Cusabio.