Scientists Use Bacteria to Create Non-Natural Proteins

Scientists from the Medical Research Council of the Laboratory of Molecular Biology in Cambridge, Great Britain, have achieved a major breakthrough in synthetic biology, surpassing the limitations of natural protein synthesis. Led by Dr. Jason Rlein, the researchers have successfully incorporated exotic amino acids into bacterial proteins, thereby expanding the possibilities of biotechnology and the development of new materials and drugs.

The field of synthetic biology aims to expand the list of amino acids used in protein synthesis, which traditionally includes only the 20 amino acids found in nature. The incorporation of artificial amino acids into proteins opens up a wide range of applications in various fields, ranging from medicine to the production of biodegradable plastics.

However, introducing synthetic amino acids into living cells poses difficulties, as they are not always compatible with cellular mechanisms. The new study has proposed a solution to this problem by modifying the carriers within cells and the “glue” protein that helps attach amino acids to ribosomes during protein synthesis.

During the study, the team generated millions of options and identified eight effective pairs capable of capturing artificial building blocks. These genes were then introduced into Escherichia coli bacteria cells, which successfully utilized the new amino acids in their protein synthesis process. The details of the study can be found here.

The results of this research expand the chemical capabilities of the genetic code, paving the way for the creation of new materials. The incorporation of artificial amino acids into drugs could potentially improve their structural properties, prolong their effectiveness within the body, and enhance their overall efficiency. Furthermore, similar systems could be utilized to produce new materials, such as biodegradable plastics.

The future development of this technology involves further modifications to the ribosome itself, allowing for better recognition and utilization of unusual amino acids and their carriers. Scientists are also exploring the possibility of creating entirely synthetic proteins that could enhance the functions of living tissues.

“If we can encode this expanded set of building blocks in the same way we encode proteins, it would enable us to transform cells into living factories capable of synthesizing everything from new drugs to materials,” stated Dr. Rlein in an interview, highlighting the immense potential of this field.