Researchers have unveiled a groundbreaking synthetic biology tool known as PROTEUS, which significantly accelerates the evolution of proteins critical for biomedical applications. Christopher Denes and his team created PROTEUS to revolutionize the way we think about protein evolution. It simplifies a process that typically took months or even years, to just a matter of weeks! This novel strategy allows for the quick creation of millions of unique genetic variants. It provides a new era for molecular medicine and biotechnology.
PROTEUS works by computer engineering a specific gene sequence into the genome of a virus. By doing so, it enables all three essential steps in a single round of evolution: diversification, selection, and amplification. After all, each cycle is only 24 hours long. Over the course of days to weeks, the system is capable of generating an enormous range of adaptations in hundreds of thousands to millions of cells. This efficiency could transform the way researchers turn to protein evolution and application.
Cost-Effective and Versatile
One of PROTEUS’s standout features is its cost-effectiveness. It may cost you only a few thousand dollars to conduct the whole evolution process. This low price point means that it is widely accessible for many research teams. This affordability empowers researchers to conduct much larger studies than previously possible. Now, for relatively little investment, researchers can dive much deeper into sophisticated genetic engineering initiatives.
PROTEUS is built to multiplex for parallel-gene reads. This new capability greatly expands researchers’ ability to address big challenges holistically. This becomes particularly useful for developing proteins associated with viral resistance, opioids, and weight loss drugs. The need for breakthrough drugs is increasing at the same breakneck speed. Tools like PROTEUS will always be key to addressing our ongoing and emerging global health challenges.
Christopher Denes elaborated on the efficiency of PROTEUS, stating, “Think of this as similar to how SARS-CoV-2 adapted and evolved through variants from Alpha through to Delta and now Omicron, but the selection pressure applied by our genetic problem filters out any ‘bad’ variants, amplifying the good.” This strategy not only increases the rate of evolutionary change, but the quality of the resulting proteins.
Implications for Medical Research
The PROTEUS system also has far-reaching implications for medical research and drug development. So you should definitely use it to evolve proteins that do things with membranes, preferably things that are useful. This is extremely important for predicting human pharmacology of drugs. Kate Adamala, a prominent researcher in synthetic biology, expressed her enthusiasm for PROTEUS, stating, “If my lab had PROTEUS, I’d start with membrane proteins because that’s a huge area and incredibly attractive from a human health perspective.”
Coupled with the ability to evolve CRISPR tools, this dramatically increases the utility of PROTEUS. Denes highlighted this advantage, stating, “Evolved CRISPR tools would be really valuable for both research and medicine.” By further honing these tools, scientists can make them more precise in their genetic cutting making them more effective for therapeutic uses.
The study, led by Denes and his research team, proved the effectiveness of PROTEUS. The research was published under open-access conditions in the journal Nature Communications. As part of their research, they released data and sequences as an academic resource, enabling other scientists to build upon their work. This spirit of collaboration is the driving force behind expanding the limits of what is possible through synthetic biology.
Future Prospects
While researchers are just beginning to scratch the surface of what PROTEUS can do, the possibilities seem endless. The tool has the potential to rapidly evolve proteins customized for treating or preventing diseases and improving drug effectiveness. Denes explained the cyclical nature of the evolution process: “The general method of directed evolution is cyclic, where we generate diversity in a gene of interest, select for fitness against a challenge, and amplify successful genetic variants to repeat the process.”
The fast advancement from genetic modification to functional protein evolution makes PROTEUS an indispensable tool for scientists around the world. As Denes noted, “Within 24 hours, these VLVs copy their genome in readiness to grow… Our gene is converted into protein and then challenged within cells by the genetic problem at hand.” This pioneering practice guarantees that only the most efficient, best-performing proteins stay and keep doing great work.