Imagine a world where developing life-saving drugs is not a decades-long endeavor, but a matter of weeks. This isn’t science fiction; it’s the groundbreaking reality emerging from the University of Sydney’s Neely Lab and the Centenary
Institute. They’ve unveiled PROTEUS (PROTein Evolution Using Selection), a revolutionary open-source platform that’s set to transform how we approach gene-editing, mRNA-based medicines, and therapeutic proteins.
For years, scientists have grappled with the complexities of mammalian cells, which are notoriously difficult to work with due to their slow growth, large genomes, and intricate protein regulation.
This has made the development of new drugs a painstaking process, often yielding results that don’t translate effectively from simpler organisms to human biology. But PROTEUS changes the game entirely.
The true brilliance of PROTEUS lies in its ability to adapt to the user’s demands, acting as a “biological trial-and-error machine.”
Unlike traditional AI, it doesn’t require a predefined problem or goal to evolve. Instead, it leverages the error-prone nature of RNA viruses to naturally generate genetic diversity, much like how SARS-CoV-2 adapted and evolved through its various strains. This allows for the rapid identification and amplification of beneficial mutations, filtering out the less effective ones.
This innovation matters immensely because it addresses a critical bottleneck in biomedical research. Many proteins evolved in simpler systems like yeast or bacteria simply don’t function as effectively in human cells. PROTEUS overcomes this by enabling mammalian-specific adaptations, opening doors to more effective gene-editing tools, highly specific mRNA medicines, and therapeutic proteins with fewer side effects.
Imagine the impact on treating complex diseases, developing new vaccines, or even understanding how drugs interact with our bodies at a fundamental level. As University of Sydney research fellow Christopher Denes, one of the study’s authors, aptly puts it, “PROTEUS can produce mammalian-specific adaptations that we wouldn’t have predicted or evolved in other systems.”
The availability of PROTEUS as an open-source platform through Addgene means that labs worldwide, with the right infrastructure and training, can now access this transformative technology. This collaborative approach promises to accelerate research and development globally, bringing us closer to breakthroughs in areas such as membrane proteins.
These are crucial targets for many existing diseases and drugs. The cost-effectiveness of the process, at just a few thousand dollars per campaign, further democratizes access to this cutting-edge science.
To truly grasp the depth and potential of this incredible breakthrough, we encourage you to dive into the full article. Discover all the intricate details and implications of PROTEUS by reading the complete story here:
