Artificial intelligence could be the key to more accurate and effective gene therapy. A new study from Aarhus University finds that applying AI predictions of protein structure makes cutting a patient’s DNA more precise, enhancing the DNA scissor technology CRISPR. This finding may lead to more efficient treatments.
Anything wrong with our DNA can lead to the development of genetic disorders and diseases such as cancer, muscular dystrophy and Huntington’s disease. But the invention of gene-editing technologies such as CRISPR-Cas9, which act like molecular scissors and can be used to excise specific DNA fragments within the genome, could be game-changing in the treatment and prevention of these diseases. has been proven to exist. . And now, scientists at Aarhus University may have discovered a way to use artificial intelligence (AI) to sharpen DNA scissors. The study’s lead scientist, Yongrun Luo, a professor at the Department of Biomedicine at Aarhus University, said smaller, more precise scissors could lead to better treatments for patients with genetic disorders.
“CRISPR is a great technology, but we know that sometimes there are small defects in the cutting surface that lead to small unwanted changes in the DNA sequence. We have developed a smaller, more precise tool called base editing. By doing so, scientists are moving closer to more precise technology.” It may be possible to correct genetic mistakes that cause diseases, develop better treatments, and potentially develop a variety of hereditary diseases in the future. It may also be possible to develop treatments for the disease. “
AI discovers more precise gene-editing tools
Proteins perform their functions in three-dimensional (3D) structures. Aarhus-based researchers are using artificial intelligence (AI), in this case the so-called AlphaFold2, to predict the 3D structure of proteins, a group of hundreds of enzymes that can modify building blocks known as nucleotides. discovered a deaminase-like protein. in DNA.
Deaminase-like proteins are often used in a more precise form of gene-editing technology known as base-editing, but it’s the researchers’ particular focus in this project, says Professor Yonglun Luo. say.
“Simplistically, base editing can be described as a method of correcting misspellings in the genetic code. Our DNA is made up of four building blocks called nucleotides, sometimes called single nucleotides that cause genetic diseases. of wrong nucleotides, and the purpose of base editing is to correct these specific mistakes by changing the wrong nucleotide to the correct one.”
By finding and manipulating smaller versions of the deaminase protein, scientists now have more precise and powerful gene-editing tools.
This is a breakthrough in the field of protein engineering, opening up new possibilities for designing and engineering proteins for a variety of applications. “
Yonglun Luo, Professor of Biomedical Sciences, Aarhus University
May also lead to stronger crops
Breakthroughs in protein engineering could also be useful in addressing the challenges facing farmers. Crops can be vulnerable to diseases, pests, and other environmental conditions, and farmers are constantly striving to find ways to protect their crops from some of these factors. And this new discovery could have big implications for the agricultural sector, Yonglun Luo explains.
“In this study, we also achieved efficient base editing in soybean for the first time. It can have a big impact on the field.” Resilient and strong. “
Professor Yongrun Luo says there may be more to discover.
“Our AI-based protein structure prediction approach can be extended to discover and engineer other proteins for precise genome editing. By applying this strategy to different protein families or specific targets, Researchers can discover new properties and functions that can be used in various fields: medicine, agriculture, biotechnology, etc.
Professor Yunglun Luo and his team now hope to continue their work with follow-up studies focused on evaluating the performance of their discovery in various disease models and human cells. It is hoped that they will fix disease-causing mutations and determine their potential to advance precision medicine.
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Reference magazines:
fan, J. other. (2023) Discovery of deaminase function by structure-based protein clustering. cell. doi.org/10.1016/j.cell.2023.05.041.
