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Researchers Unveil First Artificial Protein

Researchers at the University of Washington have designed and constructed the first new functional protein not found in nature.

Lead researcher David Baker said the problem of creating artificial proteins is similar to putting together the outline of a three-dimensional jigsaw puzzle, using as pieces the 20 known amino acids in nature, which can also be rotated in many ways.

“The number of alternatives can be huge," notes Baker. "Even for one fixed backbone conformation, you have an astronomical number of possible amino acid sequences." The solution was a computational algorithm - embodied in their RosettaDesign program - to search for stable combinations of possible amino acid sequences and orientations.

The result: a 93-amino acid protein structure researchers call Top7. When synthesized, the actual Top7 protein matched the computer-predicted structure perfectly.

Protein engineering is predicted to lead to new medicines and industrial catalysts. Researchers are already using the lessons learned in designing Top7 to synthesize new artificial proteins with specific functions.