#biomolecular engineering

[mindblowingscience]

Blood test can diagnose brain cancer in less than 1 hour

"Our hope is that if early detection [of brain cancer] is more feasible, then there is an increased chance of survival."

The average glioblastoma patient survives 12-18 months after diagnosis. The crux of the diagnostic is a biochip that uses electrokinetic technology to detect biomarkers, or active Epidermal Growth Factor Receptors (EGFRs), which are overexpressed in certain cancers such as glioblastoma and found in extracellular vesicles. “Extracellular vesicles or exosomes are unique nanoparticles secreted by cells. They are big—10 to 50 times bigger than a molecule—and they have a weak charge. Our technology was specifically designed for these nanoparticles, using their features to our advantage,” says Hsueh-Chia Chang, a professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering at the University of Notre Dame and lead author of the study about the diagnostic published in Communications Biology.

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[heighpubsseo]

Annals of Biomedical Science and Engineering

The journal aims to provide a medium to publish manuscripts that can urge the discussions related to ethical and empirical issues in biomedical science and engineering. The manuscripts published in Annals of Biomedical Science and Engineering works with the purpose to inextricably link biomedical science and engineering with the fields of medicine and surgery.

URL : https://www.biomedscijournal.com/

[heighpubsseo]

[sbgridconsortium]

Engineering allosteric cooperation in a two-domain protein

In order to achieve new and more complex functions, protein domains often are combined end-to-end and linked into multi-domain proteins. Allosteric proteins are a case of multi-domain proteins in which the active site is regulated by a separate site which is often distal to the active site. This type of protein combines a catalytic or signal transmitting domain with a binding domain. These combinations have inspired protein engineering efforts to intentionally design proteins from two domains with new, specific functions. Despite this, no de novo designed proteins have been previously reported for allosteric multi-domain proteins in which both domains have been designed from scratch.

SBGrid member William DeGrado and other researchers have sought to develop tools to enable de novo design of multi-domain structures from scratch. They developed new methods to design an allosterically regulated phenol oxidase which responds to the binding of a synthetic porphyrin, ZnP.

Above: De novo engineered two-domain di-Zn(II) and porphyrin-binding protein. CC BY SBGrid.

Through analysis, they determined that the binding of ZnP in one domain induces changes in the structural dynamics of the protein, which influenced the activity of the catalytic domain, phenol oxidase. This was enabled by the addition of four helical linkers which promoted coupling and allosteric communication between the two domains. 

This study presents a framework for the de novo development of allosterically regulated catalytic proteins, and these methods can be further expanded to the design of electronically coupled systems.

Read more about this research in PNAS.

[sbgridconsortium]

Designing small-molecule binding proteins de novo

Proteins have a wide range of sizes, structures, and functions. The relationship between amino acid sequence and protein structure has been investigated for decades, which could inform the de novo design of proteins which exhibit new functions. These functions can be related to the structure of the protein itself through mechanical properties, or alternatively by binding small-molecule ligands at a designed protein cavity. Ultimately, the goal would be to simultaneously engineer proteins with new structures and functions. Previous work has modeled protein-ligand interactions by positioning the ligand relative to specific atoms in the protein, but this modeling can sample structural conformations which are not experimentally observed. 

SBGrid member William DeGrado and other researchers have worked to develop a search algorithm, Convergent Motifs for Binding Sites (COMBS) to advance functional protein design. Polizzi and DeGrado developed a unit of local protein structure called a van der Mer (vdM). This samples locations of chemical groups relative to the backbone which have been experimentally validated. They determined statistically favorable vdMs from a large dataset of structures from the Protein Data Bank, using these weighted vdMs in computations to design de novo a protein which binds to the small-molecule drug apixaban. This was confirmed by X-ray crystallography. 

Above: Structure of designed protein bound to apixaban. CC BY SBGrid. 

These recent advances in protein engineering and modeling may enable the new development of proteins for sensing, diagnostics, therapeutics, and more.

Read more about this research in Science.

[texasdreamer01]

Gilding technique inspired by ancient Egyptians may spark better fuel cells for tomorrow's electric cars

Approach could make electric car batteries more efficient and cost-effective, helping accelerate movement away from fossil fuels

To make modern-day fuel cells less expensive and more powerful, a team led by Johns Hopkins chemical engineers has drawn inspiration from the ancient Egyptian tradition of gilding.

Egyptian artists at the time of King Tutankhamun often covered cheaper metals (copper, for instance) with a thin layer of a gleaming precious metal such as gold to create extravagant masks and jewelry. In a modern-day twist, the Johns Hopkins-led researchers have applied a tiny coating of costly platinum just one nanometer thick—100,000 times thinner than a human hair—to a core of much cheaper cobalt. This microscopic marriage could become a crucial catalyst in new fuel cells that generate electric current to power cars and other machines.

The new fuel cell design would save money because it would require far less platinum, a very rare and expensive metal that is commonly used as a catalyst in present-day fuel-cell electric cars. The researchers, who published their work earlier this year in Nano Letters, say that by making electric cars more affordable, this innovation could curb the emission of carbon dioxide and other pollutants from gasoline- or diesel-powered vehicles.

Image: Technique reduces the quantity of valuable platinum needed for electric car batteries and increases performance tenfold. Getty Images.

[larryhbernsteinme]

Recognitions for Contributions in Genomics by Dan David Prize Awards

Recognitions for Contributions in Genomics by Dan David Prize Awards

Recognitions for Contributions in Genomics by Dan David Prize Awards

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

  The Source for this List is a Search for “Genomics” on the Dan David Prize website

http://www.dandavidprize.org/component/finder/search?q=Genomics&Itemid=101

This is a compilation of all Dan David Prizes awarded in the Field of Genomics

When Will Genomics Cure Cancer?A conversation with the…

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[magelciene-blog]

Biomolecular engineering

http://chemicalengineers.trade/Biomolecular-engineering/